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‘An uphill battle’ NYC’s budget remains uncertain a week before deadline
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Jun 22, 2023
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Elizabeth Kim/Gothamist
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Jun 22, 2023
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The fate of the city's $107 billion budget remains uncertain with little more than a week left before the July 1 deadline.
Negotiations between Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council, which were already fraught following last year’s education funding fiasco, are being compounded by issues of housing affordability, the homeless population and the ongoing migrant crisis.
At a press conference Thursday, Speaker Adrienne Adams told reporters that she “really can’t say” when the Council and the mayor would reach an agreement but that officials “want to get it done sooner than later — that’s the goal.”
“If I had a crystal ball, I certainly would use it – particularly during these negotiations,” she said. “These negotiations are tough, they’re very different than last year.”
The mayor and Council negotiated their first budget together last year by June 10. But after approving it, councilmembers realized they had approved nearly $469 million in cuts tied to schools with reduced enrollment. Members publicly apologized for missing the cuts and tried to take the mayor to court to restore the funding.
Now the city’s coming fiscal year – which begins in July –comes amid a storm of issues affecting New York, including the arrival of more than 70,000 migrants. The mayor said the city is stuck paying billions to help provide shelter and other costs for the new arrivals. In April, Adams released a $106.7 billion budget proposal that calls for cuts to numerous city services, from resources for the homeless, to home-delivered meals for seniors, to libraries.
Adams is calling on the White House to step in and provide more funds for the city. Without it , some of the mayor’s top budget officials are warning that even more cuts could be on the way.
The city “will have to make terrible cuts to programs and services,” Jacques Jiha, the mayor’s budget director, said at a hearing in May. “And this will cause great and unnecessary pain.”
But the City Council remains largely opposed to cuts, arguing that there is more money to come from tax revenue – and that rolling back services would be too detrimental for New Yorkers.
The Council also advanced legislation on housing – including expanding eligibility to certain rental assistance programs – amid recent rent increases and “the lack of housing investment in the mayor’s proposed budget,” the speaker said on Thursday.
The mayor’s office said it was balancing fiscal challenges with providing services and urged the Council to approve the budget on time.
“While we understand the future budget challenges ahead, our city cannot undermine itself and worsen them by failing to invest in housing, education, libraries, mental health and economic opportunity,” Speaker Adams said. “The next several days will be critical for New York City and the communities we represent.”
Tagged
Politics
education
budget
new york city
City Council
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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