Details of the Budget Agreement
On December 2, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a budget package that includes an 18.5 percent across-the-board increase in city property taxes and a delay of the mayor's proposal to eliminate 8 fire companies. Last week, the City Council approved the budget modification by a vote of 41 to 6 (4 were absent). The plan would also restore about $50 million of the $880 million cuts the mayor proposed. The plan would also restore about $50 million of the $880 million cuts the mayor proposed.
The City Council and Mayor have agreed to two new tax proposals:
- An 18 percent property-tax increase
- A proposal to the state for a surcharge on absentee landlords
And they have agreed to restore $50 million in cuts proposed by Bloomberg, including:
- Administration for Children's Services, including 2,500 day-care slots, preventative services, programs and rates for foster-care families, $18 million
- City University of New York, including community colleges and Peter F. Vallone Academic Scholarship Program, $9.6 million
- Department of Youth Services, $6.4 million
- Saving of 37 ambulance tours for EMS that the mayor proposed privatizing, $2.5 million
- Weekend meals for elderly residents, $885,000
- Seasonal workers for parks, $802,000
- Sanitation Department supplemental basket collection, $700,000
- Health and mental health, $537,000
- Retirement communities, $530,000
- Saving of layoffs at Hunter College schools, $490,000
The restorations came as the City Council decided to cut other parts of the budget:
- Administration for Children's Services, $18 million
- Bus subsidies, $15 million
- Refinancing debt service, $10 million
- Heating and electricity costs in city buildings, $5 million
Council Vote: November 25, 2002. Approved 41-6 (4 absent)
YES: Joseph Addabbo, Jr., Maria Baez, Charles Barron, Tracy Boyland, Gale Brewer, Yvette Clarke, Leroy Comrie, Bill DeBlasio, Ruben Diaz, Erik Dilan, Simcha Felder, Lewis Fidler, Helen Foster, Alan Gerson, Eric Gioia, Sarah Gonzalez, Robert Jackson, Melinda Katz, G. Oliver Koppell, John Liu, Miguel Martinez, Michael McMahon, Gifford Miller, Hiram Monserrate, Eva Moskowitz, Michael Nelson, Bill Perkins, Madeline Provenzano, Christine Quinn, Domenic Recchia, Diana Reyna, Joel Rivera, James Sanders, Larry Seabrook, Helen Sears, Jose Serrano, Kendall Stewart, Peter Vallone, Jr., Albert Vann, David Weprin, David Yassky
NO: Tony Avella, James Davis, Dennis Gallagher, Andrew Lanza, Allan Jennings, James Oddo.
ABSENT: James Gennaro, Martin Golden, Margarita Lopez, Philip Reed.
