Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Council members unhappy with budget cuts

From the Daily News:

The council has already proposed more than $130 million in alternative cuts and identified several areas it would like to see held harmless, including case managers at the Department for the Aging and layoffs at the Administration for Children’s Services. Nonetheless, Council Speaker Christine Quinn said this morning the council recognizes the city has to cut back.

“Most of those we support,” said Quinn of the administration’s plan. “I don’t want that to be lost in the conversation today.”

“That said, there are many troubling cuts,” the speaker added and then rattled off her list, including the nightly closures of certain fire companies.

Council members took aim at the administration over a slew of other slashes — from cuts to outreach for homeless youth (which we cover today) to funding reductions at libraries. Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer, the chair of the Cultural Affairs Committee, said some libraries could reduce service to two or three days a week under the current cut.

And, of course, the conversation turned to politics.

Councilmember Jimmy Oddo, the council’s minority leader, questioned the administration’s reasoning for extending term limits — an argument based on its ability to use creative solutions for fiscal problems.

“We needed this administration because it was uniquely qualified. What in this modification would you argue is unique?” Oddo asked the budget director to a round of applause. “Where’s the payoff for the term limits vote? Where is the radical idea?”

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

blah,blah,blah..... all layoff talk and no action, as usual.

you voted in the tax and spenders and now we will all pay up more to democrat government waste.

Anonymous said...

You are absolutely wrong there! There will be layoffs in January and even more in July.

Anonymous said...

I guess the $ 2 million from Councilman Recchia & $ 10 miliion from Mayor Mike are still going to be given to BP Marty Markowitz's Memorial to himself in the proposed Asser Levy/ Seaside Park $ 70 million Amphitheater in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn.
This is a load of Brooklyn Crap.

Anonymous said...

Start with the Council members' salaries and their staff.

Anonymous said...

Koo Koo
Koo Koo
Koo Koo

Anonymous said...

Pretty bold statement coming from Mr. Oddo who voted against extending term limits and then ran again.

Anonymous said...

Start with the Council members' salaries and their staff.

I agree!!!!
But let us take back the dollar we pay the mayor too, because he doesn't deserve it!