CITY HALL \u2013 Speaker Christine C. Quinn, together with the Council\u2019s Budget Negotiation Team, today announced that the Council will seek no new programmatic funding in FY09. In light of the downward turn in the economy, the Council\u2019s main priority going into budget negotiations will be to see a decrease in the money spent on city services, while simultaneously restoring cuts to core services. If additional cuts are found and if the portion of mayoral cuts to what the Council deems core services is restored, the Council may expand funding to the more successful programs. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs we enter more uncertain economic times, we need to set fiscal priorities in the budget,\u201d said Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. \u201cPutting a moratorium on new initiatives will allow us to cut back on city spending and to focus on restoring funds to essential services that New Yorker\u2019s already depend on everyday.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe face an uncertain fiscal climate,\u201d said Majority Whip Inez Dickens. \u201cIt is important that we preserve and strengthen essential human service programs that are already in place to help communities across our City. It is for this reason that I concur with the Speaker’s decision not to initiate any new initiatives for FY 09.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs our economic projections get less and less certain, we need to find a way to fund critical city services without the added revenue,\u201d said Majority Leader Joel Rivera. \u201cNow is not the time to add untested programs to the budget. We need to focus on maintaining the services New Yorkers depend on already.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a member of the Council\u2019s leadership, I want to emphasize that we are working hard to improve our institution and regain the trust of all New Yorkers,\u201d stated Deputy Majority Leader Leroy Comrie. \u201cOur foremost priority is to protect the most vulnerable New Yorkers and enhance opportunities for working class residents to maintain a better quality of life, while tightening our belts amidst the current recession.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe current economic climate presents us with some major challenges,\u201d said Assistant Majority Leader Lewis Fidler. \u201cWe need to find a way to maintain services at a time when many agencies are being asked to make tough cuts to their budgets. Our first priority has to be restoring the services we need and holding the line on taxes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn these current economic times,\u201d said Assistant Majority Leader Bill de Blasio, \u201cit is prudent for the Council not to begin funding new initiatives but to focus on restoring funding to the already existing initiatives providing vital services to our City.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople across our city are making tough choices everyday because of the downturn in our economy, and it\u2019s time the Council did the same,\u201d said Black, Latino and Asian Caucus Co-Chair Robert Jackson. \u201cRather than looking to new initiatives, we need to balance our budget while maintaining existing city services.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt a time when New Yorkers have to juggle the cost of the basic necessities like food and fuel it is wholly appropriate that we fight to maintain the 7% reduction in property taxes and the $400 rebate for homeowners,\u201d said Council Member Michael McMahon. \u201cTherefore we cannot afford any new initiatives and our decision not to do so is the right one for Staten Islanders and all New Yorkers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am committed to maintaining the current level of service that the City is providing,\u201d said Finance Committee Chair David Weprin. \u201cWe are facing hard economic times and in order to maintain essential services, we cannot look to fund any new initiatives this budget cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n
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CITY HALL \u2013 Speaker Christine C. Quinn, together with the Council\u2019s Budget Negotiation Team, today announced that the Council will seek no new programmatic funding in FY09. In light of the downward turn in the economy, the Council\u2019s main priority going into budget negotiations will be to see a decrease in the money spent on city services, while simultaneously restoring cuts to core services.<\/p>\n
…<\/p>\n