wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Comments

• [1] hjs from 11211 June 30, 2008 - 10:22AM

  when is the land around city hall going to open to the public again?

  
  
• [2] Gary from Manhattan June 30, 2008 - 10:28AM

  Brian,

  Please do not let Ms. Quinn get off the hook with her nonsense defensive for city's slush fund and that she "just found out about it".

  
  
• [3] Leland from Brooklyn June 30, 2008 - 10:40AM

  I would agree with Counser Quinn on the real estate tax cuts not being just for the wealthy. I live in a middle-class middle of the road coop, and our real estate taxes are captured and used in the coop fund for the increasing costs of the building operation, instead of increasing maitenance, which is especially hard for some residents.

  
  
• [4] NC from NYC June 30, 2008 - 10:41AM

  I love culture (museums, etc.), but I think that city funding to those organizations could be cut even more to replace summer jobs for youth. If youth have something to do during the summer, they're less likely to get into trouble. The cultural orgs. can raise private funding.

  
  
• [5] Susan from Kingston, New York June 30, 2008 - 10:44AM

  I find it totally outrageous that the city just supported a $15.5 million waterfalls project and is cutting funding for community centers outrageous! What is going on here?

  
  
• [6] hjs from 11211 June 30, 2008 - 10:46AM

  Susan

  would it still be outrageous if it brought 20 million in tourist dollars to the city?

  
  
• [7] BM June 30, 2008 - 10:48AM

  The Mayor chose to not restore $20 plus million in cuts to essential social services (at a time of increasing demand due to the recessionary economy) despite the city having a $4.5 billion SURPLUS this year. It's frightening to think what he is going to do with next year's budget when we're projected to have a budget DEFICIT!

  
  
• [8] Joseph Caffrey from Staten Island June 30, 2008 - 10:51AM

  I am dissapinted that the slush fund was not mentioned. How much of that or the groups that it went to are still in the budget. You let her get away lightly.

  What cuts were made in operating the government?

  
  
• [9] Laura from Manhattan June 30, 2008 - 11:03AM

  I am really outraged at both the Mayor, Quinn and the council. They tout how they kept the tax rate on property tax fixed, but they forgot to mention that does not affect their constant upward assessments on your property. I am basically being forced out of my apartment which I've lived for 17 years because of the constant double digit increases in property taxes (which I cant control by cutting back like I can with everything else rising). I simply cannot not afford to live in NYC any longer simply due to taxes at this point! - just cant make the monthly costs. I mean, we've got super high sales taxes, a local income tax (absurd) and constantly rising property taxes.

  Sadly, I've had to put my apartment on the market and trying to find a place to go. I guess I'm in the forgotten middle, just over the line for all the public goodies officials like to dole out for votes and not super rich. It's really sickening.

  
  
• [10] Simon from Brooklyn June 30, 2008 - 11:09AM

  It's really a shame Bloomberg couldn't get this budget nightmare that is NYC under control in light of his background. The city really needs *draconian* cuts to non-essential services and this includes assistance and housing programs. Case in point is one of the poster's above... at the end of the day, someone needs to pay the bill and we are chasing out all of our wage earners and businesses due to the cost of our government and its wasteful services.

  
  
• [11] Susan from Kingston, New York June 30, 2008 - 11:14AM

  hjs - We don't know whether or not those waterfalls will bring $20 million in revenue to the city. It is merely spectative to assume so.