Mayor Michael Bloomberg scolded state leaders for a tentative budget agreement that fails to help NYC avert its own budget disaster and cover a $600 million deficit. Although some $136 million in education funding will be restored to NYC, about 6,100 teaching positions still have to be cut.
Bloomberg said City agencies also have been asked to submit cuts to make up the shortfall, and additional jobs will be cut. To help fill the budget gap for the fiscal year beginning July 1st, Bloomberg had asked the state Legislature to reform the fund that requires the city to pay $12,000 annually to police and firefighters and give the city its portion in a state revenue-sharing program. That aid was eliminated last year and not restored this year.
Albany officials offered little sympathy, Joshua Vlastro, a Cuomo spokesman, said that the CITY COULD HAVE DONE MORE PRUDENT BUDGETING if it suspected it wasn't going to get state aid again. He ssiad the the City's revenue position has improved so they have much less pressure on the overall budget. Albany legislators remain optimistic that the $132.5 billion budget agreement will pass. Voting on the budget bills begin tomorrow.
Sheila McKinney
