June 24, 2013
By Neal Tepel
CITY HALL, NY – Speaker Quinn and the Council negotiated with the Administration to reach an agreement on its eighth consecutive, on-time balanced budget, and avoided cuts to vital programs and prevented layoffs. The Council-Mayor Agreement on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 budget maintains most vital services.
The budget keeps all public libraries and community pools open, restores cuts to child care and after school services, and protects the jobs of more than 300 NYCHA employees who faced possible layoffs. The budget also ensures that senior and community centers in NYCHA properties stay open.
Federal sequestration presented significant challenges to the City’s budget this year, particularly to the city’s public housing facilities, but 325 layoffs for NYCHA employees were avoided as well as the closure of more than 60 senior centers and community facilities. Additionally, a recent court ruling ensures the City will have new revenues from the sale of taxi medallions.
The Council has restored $143.6 million for Early Childhood Education and After School Programs. Provides $106 million in funding to ensure that three public library systems continue to provide a full range of services. Restored $32 million to maintain the City’s parks. Prevented the closure of any fire companies and protected senior services including the restoring of funds for home-delivered meals.
“While the Council and the Administration came into this budget with different priorities, we both had a willingness to negotiate in good faith and in the end, arrived at a budget without the bickering and confrontation that is unfortunately too often associated with government. By working together, we’ve ensured that libraries and pools will stay open, parks will be maintained, and preserved both vital childcare seats and after school programs that middle class families depend on,”said Speaker Quinn.
