New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani agreed November 17 to release some $130 million his administration had withheld from nonprofit groups since last July, including $22 million for library programs.
The agreement, coming more than six months into the fiscal year, ends a five-month standoff between Giuliani and City Council Speaker Peter Vallone. The New York Times reported November 18 that the main point of contention was elimination of a 12.5% surcharge on the personal income tax of city residents, a move that Giuliani had said would be too costly but eventually agreed to.
The $22 million for libraries was part of a budget adopted by the city council in June that not only restored $12.9 million for libraries cut by the mayor but added some $7 million in additional enhancements for libraries. That was reported to be the first time in history that the council rejected the mayor's budget plan and developed its own.
Posted November 23, 1998.