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Out of the Gate, New Mayor Begins Testing Political Waters
NYSSCPA.org E-zine Staff
NEW YORK -- Only a few days in office and New York City's new mayor and political novice Michael Bloomberg already has found himself on the hot seat.
Earlier this week, Bloomberg vowed to close a looming $4 billion municipal budget gap without raising new taxes, asking officials to begin planning for budget cuts from 5 percent to 20 percent. However, the city's uniformed services and the Board of Education should be spared of major cuts, The New York Times reported.
"We will not be able to afford all that we want. We will not even be able to afford everything we currently have," the new mayor said during his inaugural address Tuesday, according to Gotham Gazette.
One project that could be put on hold includes a $1.2 billion renovation of Lincoln Center. Other proposed methods for tightening the budget gap include a lag payroll scheme, whereby salaries of union workers would be withheld for a week or more and paid at a later date. On Wednesday, Bloomberg said he hopes to soon begin contract negotiations with union leaders, The Times reported.
During his inauguration, Bloomberg challenged the new comptroller, public advocate and others to join him in cutting staff by 20 percent as a first step to reducing public spending. Officials during the ceremony, however, grumbled at Bloomberg's suggestion to cut staff, according to The Daily News.
City and state agencies expect New York to face financial difficulties in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks and the recession. The attacks could cost the city up to $60 billion in clean-up efforts and lost economic activity, and has already lost the city scores of thousands of jobs.
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