The New York City Council urged that Mayor Eric Adams’ initial budget of $102.7 billion be increased by at least $2.7 billion in its official response to Mayor Eric Adams’ recent budget proposal.
A budget is “more than just an itemized list of income and expenditures,” Brooklyn Democrat Councilmember Justin Brannan, who serves as the finance committee’s head, said during a recent news conference. For this reason, “why we believe sound fiscal stewardship means focusing budget priorities where they matter most.”
- Advertisement -
One of its primary initiatives is a plan to increase the number of low-income citizens who may purchase discounted subway fares. The city wants those “with incomes up to 200 percent of” the federal poverty line—$60,000 for a family of four—to be eligible for the discounted fares. The Council also demanded the construction of more street infrastructure, outreach initiatives for fire safety, and battery exchange programs.
According to the Council, the city has this money set aside for the forthcoming fiscal year. The city’s income forecasts indicate that there is about $5.2 billion available. The Council is recommending that part of the leftover funds, or around $2.7 billion, be used for other city services once a portion of them is allocated to labor settlements.
Speaker Adrienne Adams noted, “Failing to adequately invest in our city and New Yorkers, at a time where we’re facing so many crises, also carries immense risks.” She added, “They could result in families going hungry, worsening mental health and housing crises, and other far-reaching consequences that impact our economy, health, and safety.”
The Council included a list of potential applications for the additional $2.7 billion in its 56-page statement, which officials also covered at the press conference. This comprises of:
- Approximately $318 million will be used to serve persons in need of affordable housing, financial assistance, and public housing through the New York City Housing Authority. The Mayor had earlier terminated the vacant unit preparedness program in November, and the Council demanded its reinstatement.
- $474.3 million will be used to support a variety of social services, including food assistance programs, free legal aid for individuals facing eviction, and the return of financing for libraries, cultural institutions, parks, and public defenders.
- $117 million will go toward trauma treatment facilities, community-based violence prevention initiatives, and other mental and physical crisis support. In addition, the Council mandated that a reproductive health psychologist be present throughout each NYC Health + Hospital in the city.
additional financing for educational resources, such as pay equity for early childhood educators, art instruction, and neighborhood schools.
More than two months after the mayor first unveiled a $102.7 billion spending proposal for the upcoming year, the Council has responded.
The mayor demanded a budget plan with a 2% increase over the prior year, citing the city’s continuous immigration issue and the unstable economy.
The Council resisted the mayor’s suggested budget cutbacks after a month-long series of budget hearings, requesting additional monies to cover the cost of dealing with asylum seekers and the uncertain economic climate. The Council also demanded that money be restored for social programs including schools, libraries, and other institutions that the mayor had previously cut funds for.
The mayor’s office justified its “prudent fiscal planning to ensure that we are spending within our means” in a statement to Gothamist News.
A representative for the mayor’s office, Jonah Allon, claimed, “The City Council’s failure to account for $4.2 billion in related asylum-seeker costs or potential state cuts is unrealistic and does not properly recognize the city’s current and upcoming fiscal challenges.”
The Council’s budget analysis is now public, and the mayor will have a few weeks to determine whether or not to incorporate any of the Council’s suggestions in a draft of the final budget, known as the Executive Budget. Following receipt of this draft, the Council will schedule several hearings with the finance committee. It will ultimately result in the fiscal year 2019 budget that is accepted.
Brannan stated, “Everything in this budget response is something that the Council believes is worth fighting for.”
