NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A group of lawmakers, union leaders, and community advocates protested outside of City Hall on Friday, demanding the city council block Mayor Eric Adams' proposed 5% budget cuts to all city agencies.
The cuts, part of Adams' first budget adjustment, would reduce the number of police officers and hurt the Education Department's funds.
Adams has linked the austere budget to the migrant crisis, a slowdown in tax revenue, and the cessation of pandemic aid.
"No city should be left to handle this largely on its own... today's budget will be only the beginning," Adams said during a press conference earlier this week. "It is more than painful for New Yorkers — it's painful for us."
The protestors voiced concerns over the direct impact on libraries and the Education Department.
"A 5% cut would mean less story time, less workforce development, no seven-day service at branches," Lauren Bradley, with the Urban Librarians Unite, said.
The cuts would not only affect libraries but would also see a reduction of a billion dollars from city schools and a scaling back of child care services.
"We should not be balancing the budget on the backs of the poorest New Yorkers," Wayne Ho, president of the Chinese American Planning Council, a social services agency helping 80,000 New Yorkers, said. "We should not be blaming and scapegoating our newest neighbors for the budget situation."
The budget cuts come at a crucial time for city schools, grappling with the dual challenges of integrating new students and advancing academic recovery post-pandemic.
City officials have outlined a $547 million cut for the Education Department this fiscal year, with a further $600 million the following year, affecting summer programs and pre-kindergartens.
"There is no reason any of our children should be missing teachers," Queen State Senator Jessica Ramos said.
The teachers union has projected that these cuts will impact 43% of the school system mid-year.
"We're not going to allow for the people that have the highest need to make the sacrifice."Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said during the protests.
