By Howard Koplowitz
But he warned that those measures are contingent on state and federal aid given to the city. The mayor also proposed a 70 percent cut in funding to the Queens Library, from $71 million this year to $21 million in 2009.But that drastic cut, which has been proposed in the mayor's prior budget proposals, is expected to be restored in negotiations over the budget with the City Council Ð a process known as the “budget dance.” Bloomberg's budget also slashed funding of city agencies, which he said would help the city save $1.42 billion through fiscal years 2008 and 2009.No agency was spared as the mayor proposed a $320 million cut to the Department of Education in 2009, a $95 million spending reduction for the Police Department and a $23 million cut to the Fire Department's budget.Those cuts were proposed because of a projected $4.2 billion deficit in 2010, the mayor said. There are also projected deficits in 2011 and 2012.He said the economic outlook of the city is “uncertain,” due in part to falling profits on Wall Street. The city in June forecast Wall Street profits to be $16.8 billion at the end of 2008 but is now projecting $2.8 billion in profits.Although the mayor proposed extending the $400 property tax rebate and 7 percent property tax cut, he said those measures are dependent on state and federal aid.He noted that the city pays $22.8 billion in state taxes and gets $11.7 billion in funding from the state.To that end, Bloomberg was in Albany this week to lobby for more state funding, arguing that the city is not getting its fair share.Under Gov. Eliot Spitzer's budget, the city would get about $164 million in aid, compared to only $20 million last year Ð a 720 percent increase.But Bloomberg said Spitzer promised last year that he would allocate $330 million to the city and backed off on that promise when the governor unveiled his budget earlier this month.Other than the increase in city aid, Spitzer's $146 billion budget includes a $1.46 billion increase in education funding.The city would get a $6 million increase in education funding Ð from $7.5 billion this year to $8.1 billion proposed by the governor in 2009.Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
