Here's the text of an e-mail we received from City Council Member Jessica Lappin :
A Note From Jessica
Dear Lucas,
As I write this, it appears as if the impasse in the State Senate may be over. But unfortunately, this power struggle has already taken its toll. The city's fiscal year began on July 1, but the State Senate has so far failed to act on the revenue package approved by the Council and the Mayor. This has cost our city $60 million in lost revenue.
As a result, Mayor Bloomberg has already announced a citywide hiring freeze, which includes a class of 250 Police Recruits, who were set to enter the academy this week, along with Firefighters, School Safety Agents, 911 and 311 call takers, and EMTs.
In addition to the budget implications, Mayoral control of the schools was allowed to lapse. Affordable housing bills were set aside. Marriage equality was shelved. And hundreds of other important and pressing issues have been ignored.
New Yorkers deserve better. I hope that our Senators have put their partisan differences aside and will get back to work soon so that the city can continue to provide the core services that New Yorkers depend on.
UPDATES ON OTHER ISSUES....
Despite Albany Chaos, City Budget is Passed Ahead of Schedule
While the situation in
Overall, the city's budget for 2010 is $59.4 billion. We passed it ahead of schedule and it is balanced. And, despite these tough economic times, we were able to protect the vital services that keep our city thriving and livable.
Among other things, the Council's budget restored funding for police officers and firehouses, maintained six-day library service and Meals on Wheels, restored funding for cultural institutions and daycare slots, and protected child welfare workers from layoffs.
Unfortunately, even after cutting nearly a billion dollars from the budget, we still had to find ways to raise new revenue. Raising taxes is painful, particularly in a downturn, but it became clear that it was absolutely necessary to balance the budget. As a result, the Council voted to increase the city's sales tax by 0.5% and end the sales tax exemption for clothing priced over $110. On a brighter note, we did also vote to reduce taxes on businesses headquartered in
Recap on Public Safety Forum
I recently hosted a public safety forum with Inspector James Murtagh, the commanding officer of the 19th Police Precinct, which was very informative.
We learned at the forum that New York is still the safest large city in America and, in particular, we have relatively low crime rates in Manhattan. That said, there have recently been some very disturbing hate crimes on the East Side. When hate crimes take place, it is important for our community to stand together and say that violence of any kind, including violence that stems from bigotry and hatred, will not be tolerated in our city.
It also became clear that the best thing we can to do protect ourselves is to pay attention as we walk the streets or ride the subways. The key to preventing crime is being aware of our surroundings and alert. And, if you see something, say something. Call 911 if you notice anything suspicious.
Paperless Paydays for City Employees
Last year, the City Council passed my bill to move the city away from paperless pay stubs in favor of electronic ones. Since there are 300,000 city workers, this green initiative will save the city time, money, and tons of paper. I am thrilled to report that. July 24th is the first paperless payday. I'm proud to have played a part in helping