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QC05092013

20 The Queens Courier • may 9, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com s budget Mayor Michael Bloomberg presents his Fiscal Year 2014 Executive Budget on Thursday, May 2. $WAN $ONG Bloomberg delivers final budget address BY TERENCE M. CULLEN tcullen@queenscourier.com In his final budget address, Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented a balanced plan that focuses on reducing costs wherever possible, including some city employee benefits. Bloomberg’s plans, which take effect in July, include promoting a recent spike in private sector hiring and readjusting health care and pensions for city workers. There will be no new taxes this year, the mayor announced. Jobs are up this year, hizzoner said, attributing the spike to a demand for professional services and hospitality posts throughout the city. January numbers showed 3.3 million people were privately employed, many in the hospitality, technology and retail industries. However, the city has seen a drop in the financial services sector. Bloomberg said that was partly due to the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The federal act, passed in 2010, aims to ensure accountability and transparency in large banks and end tax payer bailouts. “Dodd-Frank is not good for our city,” Bloomberg said. “All these banks are cutting back their employees. And a lot of the ways we made money, on Photo courtesy NYC Mayor’s Office Flickr/Edward Reed which we taxed them and paid for police, fire, education have gone away. This is really bad news for us.” Because the state has continued to increase pension amounts, Bloomberg said the city is looking for new ways to reduce those costs and work on a plan for employees to pay for part of their health care coverage. While New York State workers currently pay a portion of their provided healthcare, most city workers do not pay anything. Bloomberg said it would be up to the next mayor to ease the cost on the city and would require significant work with unions. He added that while Sandy caused devastation, the superstorm would not affect this year’s budget. Bloomberg said the storm caused $4.57 billion in damage to the city, all of which he expects to be covered by federal aid. “That’s not to say we aren’t that sympathetic to those that were hurt,” he said. “And we’ve got to make sure we continue to do everything we can to help the victims of Sandy. But in the context of the budget, it is not something that really hurts.” For his successor, Bloomberg is leaving behind a program to close future gaps in the budget that are expected to start by fiscal year 2015. A $2.2 billion budget gap is expected for that year. The city has already set aside $142 million for then. METER’S NOT RUNNING ON MEDALLION REVENUES BY TERENCE M. CULLEN Although the medallion fight is on ice, Bloomberg tcullen@queenscourier.com was confident the city will win the case. “We still think we’re going to get it,” he said. It will likely be a few years before one big source However, City Comptroller John Liu said the of revenue fills the city’s coffers again. mayor was jumping the gun by expecting revenue With the ability to sell more taxi medallions held still wrapped up in court. up in the New York Court of Appeals, an expected “The mayor’s executive budget for FY 2014 contains $300 million in city revenue has been pushed back, some major unwarranted assumptions that risk Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced during his opening yawning gaps,” said Liu, who is running to May 2 budget address. succeed Bloomberg. “It assumes that the city will If approved, the expanded sales could make it easier reap $1.5 billion over four years from a taxi medallion for New Yorkers to hail a cab in the outer boroughs. sale that for the foreseeable future is tied up in court.” CHAPTER’S NOT DONE Officials plan to fight library cuts BY MAGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com The city’s executive budget includes $100 million in cuts to libraries across all five boroughs, slashing $29.6 million from Queens libraries alone. “If that proposal were to become reality, the impact is unthinkable,” said Thomas Galante, president and CEO of Queens Library. The cut marks a 35-percent decrease from current funding, will cause 428 layoffs, close over half of Queens Library locations and slash weekly hours from 40 to 21. “The proposed cut is enormous,” Galante said. Advocates tout the library as a sanctuary for quiet reading, research and computer use along with opportunities to sharpen job skills. With the proposed cuts, 1.9 million children and teen visitors will lose library access after school and during vacation time, and 28,000 job seekers will lose access to help with job searches, resume writing and interview skills, according to Queens Library. “These cuts, if they do take place, would be devastating,” said Borough President Helen Marshall. “But we still have a little time left. We haven’t given up yet.” However, Marshall said that even if the cuts are restored, there will still be no enhancements for library programs. Galante said there needs to be a stable funding stream for the future. Additionally, for services to remain as per usual, libraries must stay open at least five days a week. Visit www.savequeenslibrary.org to sign the electronic petition. You can also email your elected representative to help. “You need your library,” said Galante. “Right now, your library needs you.”


QC05092013
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