The New York City Council passed the contentious $107 billion budget deal struck with Mayor Eric Adams on Friday with little fanfare, bringing an end to months of fraught negotiations but no resolution how to pay for the ongoing migrant crisis.
The agreement between Hizzoner and Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Queens) sets a new overall spending record – $6 billion more than last year – due to new labor deals struck by City Hall with 75% of municipal unions.
“Despite myriad challenges and unexpected crises we have faced, I am proud to say we have successfully navigated these cross currents to arrive at a strong and fiscally responsible budget,” said the mayor following the vote.
The fiscal elephant in the room: how to pay for the ongoing migrant crisis – which is costing New Yorkers more than $1.4 billion in deficit spending – to provide shelter and social services to more than 50,000 asylum-seekers.
The New York City Council is set to pass the $107 billion budget deal, ending its contentious negotiations with Mayor Eric Adams. Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock“We made significant progress on many priorities for New Yorkers, but we also acknowledge that there are unfulfilled goals that still remain missing from this budget,” said Speaker Adams after a brief handshake with the mayor in the City Hall’s rotunda.
“These remain priorities for this Council and we will fight to ensure they are recognized by our city.”
The mayor has long argued that broad spending cuts were necessary because the city is facing major financial challenges. However, the financial pressure on the administration was partially alleviated by an unexpected $2 billion in city revenue this year, the cuts weren’t as severe.
Opposition in the chamber came primarily from the members of the lefty progressive caucus, which provided 11 of the 12 ‘nays’ on the package.
“Cuts to critical services never should have been attempted,” said Councilwoman Carmen De La Rosa (D-Manhattan), the vice co-chairwoman of the group, who slammed spending increases to pay for new contracts at the NYPD.
“Working people in our city need our help,” she added. “Words ring hollow when we continue inflating an NYPD budget that is greater than several agencies combined.”
Adams — and Republicans on the Council — highlighted the $4.3 billion price tag of providing shelter and social services for the wave of recent arrivals, costs the federal government has provided just $142 million in aid to help cover the cost. It stands in sharp contrast to the $1 billion in assistance Adams managed to win from Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers in Albany.
The mayor and the GOP argued that Biden’s refusal to provide additional money has created that $1.4 billion gap.
The agreement between Hizzoner and the NYC Council sets a new overall spending record — $6 billion more than last year. Hans Pennink“We are facing budget gaps not just next year, but in the years ahead. And that’s going to only get worse if this crisis doesn’t end,” said Minority Leader Joe Borelli (R-Staten Island).
The mayor reiterated the argument just hours before the vote during a radio interview.
“We spent thus far $1.2 billion from July ’22 to May ’23. This could potentially be over $4.3 [billion], if not higher – billions of dollars that we are going to spend dealing with the migrant asylum seeker crisis,” he told WINS-1010AM. “We’re not receiving the financial support…on the federal level.”
