Adams warns cuts of up to 15% coming to every NYC agency over migrant crisis is ‘detrimental’

 Mayor Eric Adams’ demand for budget cuts of up to 15% across all New York City agencies could gut a host of critical municipal services, including trash pickups, afterschool programs and cops, experts told The Post.

All departments were told they will need to slash 5% from their budget by November, amounting to a several billion dollar haircut from the city-funded portion of Adams’ $107 billion spending plan. 

But if the city doesn’t get enough financial aid from the Biden administration or Albany by early next year, Adams warned additional 5% cuts could come in both January and April.

“Since the large influx of asylum seekers to our city began last spring, we have warned New Yorkers that every city service could be impacted by this crisis if we did not get the support we needed,” Adams said in a statement.

“Coupling the costs of a national crisis that has fallen onto New York City with COVID funding that is running out and reduced revenue growth, our city’s financial future may be at risk if we do not act.

Adams insisted his administration will seek to minimize program disruption to programs and there will not be layoffs — which  City Hall insiders told The Post is a pipe dream.

“There’s no scenario of a 5% cut at every agency without layoffs,” said one source. “It will mean dirtier streets and crime could go up.”

Adams previously announced two rounds of cuts to deal with the crisis, including 3% cuts across all city agencies last September and another a 4.75% cut for the current fiscal year. 

“The administration will seek to minimize disruption to programs and services, and there will not be layoffs,” Mayor Eric Adams said.

James Messerschmidt for NY Post

The latest announcement comes as the NYPD continues to grapple surging crime, and a struggle by the Department of Homeless Services and other city agencies to provide many critical services.

“Oh my God! I don’t think any agency could take a 5% cut. It would be detrimental to quality of life — no question,” said Councilwoman Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan),  who sits on the finance committee.

“We’re talking about programs that support essential workers, social workers, housing, health care. I don’t know if you could do it without layoffs.”

Councilman David Carr (R-Staten Island) said he believes the mayor’s action “demonstrates in real time” how difficult it is to keep the city financially solvent while simultaneously offering shelter “carte blanche” to asylum seekers.

“This is going to hurt services and [halt] new hires that the city was looking to make in order to exercise basic functions,” he said. “I hope that everyone who has been in favor of an open-ended commitment to housing migrants as they come are thinking twice about that.”

Joe Lhota, a former city budget director and deputy mayor during the Giuliani administration, said he believes Adams had no choice but to make the cuts but it’s “possible” to pull it off with good management.

“Agency commissioners will have to do more with less,” he said. “The mayor has no choice. He has to balance the budget.”

Both Lhota and Brewer agreed with the centrist Democratic mayor that D.C. and Albany must provide more financial aid to prevent city cuts.

The city has opened more than 200 emergency shelters for the more than 110,000 migrants. Adams has said the city has spent nearly $1.5 billion since dealing with the new arrivals over a year ago and could spend up to $12 billion by July 2025.

Many New Yorkers were left wondering Saturday how badly city services would be affected upon hearing agency budgets were being gutted.

“It’s crazy,” said Tia Lebhen, 29, a Brooklyn healthcare worker. “New York City is packed already; our people don’t have enough, and you are giving it away to the migrants? I understand that migrants need help, but New Yorkers, hard working American citizens don’t have enough, and now you’re cutting budgets.”

“I feel for the migrants, but we can’t afford this,” said a CUNY teacher who opted to remain anonymous. “I teach in the CUNY system, and we already have budget cuts, and now more budget cuts? I support immigration, but this is not good for the city. I worry my classes may get cut, and my students will have less resources.”

The city’s socialist Comptroller Brad Lander  said his office would review the planned cuts but warned “scapegoating asylum seekers will not improve education, public safety, housing affordability or quality of life with New Yorkers.”

https://nypost.com/2023/09/09/5-percent-cut-coming-to-nyc-agencies-due-to-migrant-crisis/