NEW YORK — New York City’s fiscal year 2024 budget has come under scrutiny for the cuts it would bring to city agencies.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that Budget Director Jackques Jiha allegedly asked agencies through a letter to cut their budgets by 4%. If so, agencies such as the Department of Education, Department of Transportation, FDNY, or Police Department should reduce the cost of resources to the city.
One of the reasons the Eric Adams administration would call for the cuts would be because of the city’s spending with the arrival of thousands of asylum seekers.
Agency officials are expressing their dissatisfaction with the request.
“The mayor’s budget cuts have already put New Yorkers at risk this year by dramatically slowing road safety infrastructure work needed to protect New Yorkers from preventable road violence,” the president of the city said in a statement. Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Selvena N. Brooks- Powers. “These fabricated and irresponsible spending restrictions will only make it harder for agencies like the Department of Transportation to provide protected bus lanes, bike lanes, street redesigns and other essential services required by law,” he added.
Given this, it is expected that on Wednesday there will be a protest at City Hall demanding that they not make the cuts.
Earlier in the year, the mayor presented his preliminary municipal budget of $102.7 billion for fiscal year 2024 (FY24). It is implementing a citywide savings program and instituting a Program to Close the Gap (PEG) to achieve savings of $551 million in the current and next fiscal year.
The Council responded to the levy on Tuesday by identifying an additional $2.7 billion in potential resources through the end of fiscal year 2024.
“These additional resources are sufficient to meet the unmet needs identified by the Board during its budget hearings, while devoting a substantial portion to set aside to address any future budget risk,” the report said.
Even if a decision would not be taken until July, they are already demanding solutions so that the means of the city agencies are not reduced.