States, counties and cities are facing catastrophic budget shortfalls; unemployment rates not seen since the Great Depression and uncertainty over the re-opening of businesses and schools. Each day as expenditures exceed revenues the deficits widen,
While the state budget was approved on April 1, under his emergency powers the governor can adjust the budget, in other words the budget is malleable; depending on revenues the budget can be adjusted after the July 1st.
A bill, the HEROES Act passed the House, it provides over $1 trillion for a wide range of supports.
Will the HEROES Act pass the Senate? And, if so, how will the Senate change the House bill?
The current House bill would be a life-saver for New York City as well as cities across the state (See proposed $$ to each city here). Speculation is that the final bill will not come before the Senate until late June and will look considerably different than the bill that passed in the House. The final bill has to “satisfy” Senate leader McConnell, the Republicans and the President.
In a normal year the Mayor and the City Council Speaker would be deep in discussions over the final budget. New York City, since the sweeping governance changes in the late eighties, is a “Strong Mayor,” system. The Mayor has wide discretion over the allocation of resources, the Council, aside from approving the budget; its powers are limited to land use and the holding of hearings. (Read a fascinating account of New York City governance and the emergence of the current configuration here).
Corey Johnson, the leader of the Council is a candidate for mayor. Scott Stringer, the Comptroller, is also running for mayor, as well as the Eric Adams, the Brooklyn Boro President and who knows who else …. Andrew Yang? The ranked-choice primary will be held in June, 2021.
Taking “shots” at a weakened term-limited mayor is de rigueur in the world of politics.
Stringer calls for a $1B cut in the NYPD over four years by attrition and using the funds for community programs (Read presser here).
Meanwhile the Independent Budget Office (IBO) paints a bleak picture of New York City’s economy over the next few years,
The coronavirus pandemic has put New York City in the worst economic crunch in decades, with 22% of residents currently out of work and City Hall mired in a nearly $9 billion budget gap.
The state government in Albany is facing an even more dire fiscal situation than the city. Rather than providing assistance to the city, the state has looked to the city for fiscal relief. The state budget adopted last month includes hundreds of millions of dollars of cost shifts from the state to the city, including a direct raid on the city’s sales tax revenues. In short, New York City is facing nearly unprecedented challenges as it struggles to maintain budget balance, protect vital services, and provide a safe and healthy environment for individuals who want to live, work, or visit here
After the police clashed with demonstrators and widespread looting occurred the governor threatened to remove the mayor. Can the governor remove the mayor?
(See the text of the City Charter and State law below)
“What happened in New York City was inexcusable,” Cuomo said during his Tuesday press conference, unprompted. “I have offered the National Guard; the mayor has said he can handle it with the NYPD. My option is to displace the mayor of New York City and bring in the National Guard as the governor in a state of emergency and basically take over … the mayor’s job. You’d have to displace the mayor.”
One would hope and expect that electeds: the governor, the mayor and the candidates will work together to restore the city, to make the city into a better place. We are in a moment in time when sweeping change is possible. Change is inevitable, and change can be disruptive, not all change make education better.
- David Kirkland, NYU Metro Center, “How can we center equity and racial justice when schools open”
- Governor Cuomo “Reimagining Education, “The Council …can answer key questions about what education should look in the future using new technologies and to develop a blueprint to reimagine education in the new normal”
- Randi Weingarten suggested capstone projects in lieu of traditional end year testing
- Minneapolis, Portland and Denver are removing police officers from schools.
Teachers simply want to back to their classrooms in a safe environment, and we have yet to define safe.
I suspect some of the elements of remote teaching, can be incorporated, adding remote parent conferences to in-school conferences, one on one remote learning to reinforce in-school learning, remote conferences in lieu of out of school meetings, etc., and probably more.
If, however, the decision-makers, continue to bicker, to try and use the crisis for political advantage schools can slide into an abyss.
“The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.”
Dante Alighieri
Its Friday; gray and rainy, listen to Rhiannon Giddens, “Leaving Eden,” a poignant song in troubling times, one of my favorites.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcCmg9Oj9XM
The Removal of a Mayor in New York State
“The mayor may be removed from office by the governor upon charges and after service upon him of a copy of the charges and an opportunity to be heard in his defense. Pending the preparation and disposition of charges, the governor may suspend the mayor for a period not exceeding thirty days.” (NYC Charter)
“The chief executive officer of every city and the chief or commissioner of police, commissioner or director of public safety or other chief executive officer of the police force by whatever title he may be designated, of every city may be removed by the governor after giving to such officer a copy of the charges against him and an opportunity to be heard in his defense. The power of removal provided for in this subdivision shall be deemed to be in addition to the power of removal provided for in any other law. The provisions of this subdivision shall apply notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of any general, special or local law, ordinance or city charter.” (NYS Law)
Its Friday; gray and rainy, listen to Rhiannon Giddens, “Leaving Eden,” a poignant song in troubling times, one of my favorites.