Among the agencies that received the biggest cuts in New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s February 13 budget proposal were the city’s libraries, which would see their funding reduced by $39.3 million—a 15% slash. The $41.1-billion budget plan cuts programs by a total of $1.8 billion, as well borrowing $1.5 billion in city bonds and $800 million from the state and federal governments, in order to bridge a $4.76-billion deficit following the World Trade Center attack and the national economic downturn.
“The budget that we’re going to show you hurts everybody,” said Bloomberg. “We don’t think it hurts anybody fatally. But it is a spread-your-pain, no-sacred-cow kind of a solution to our problem.”
The New York Times reported February 14 that several city council members voiced concern over the cuts in services to the elderly, social services, and libraries. The mayor said he would consider restoring the funds if he were presented with alternative cuts.
Bloomberg’s predecessor, Rudolph Giuliani, had a pattern of cutting funding for libraries that the council would then restore; given the extraordinary circumstances of this year, however, that scenario seems less likely.
Posted February 18, 2002.