Quinn Hails NYC Budget For 2007
BY RICHARD GENTILVISO

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn spoke about major changes and initiatives her office made in the budget process this year at a combined meeting of the Queens Borough Board and Cabinet at Borough Hall on Monday, July 10.

Less than two weeks into the new fiscal year that began on July 1, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said the role and power of the city council in the budget process was expanded this year. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the city council reached agreement on a $52.9 billion 2007 budget at the end of June.

"It's something we're all very, very proud of," Quinn said at a special joint session of the Queens Borough Board and Queens Borough Cabinet on July 10. "We made some important steps forward this year."

Completing her first budget as speaker since her election in January, Quinn said she has focused on three major things: to be a leader for all five boroughs (Quinn's council district is in Manhattan), keeping the council relevant to the lives of all New Yorkers, and the development of big ideas in the council.

"For the first time ever, the mayor took an idea from the council [budget]," Quinn said referring to funding for 18,000 new state-of-theart bulletproof vests for the New York City Police Department.

Quinn said progress has also been made toward eliminating the annual budget gimmick of cutting a program from the previous year's funding and then restoring the same cut. "We wanted to end the budget dance," she said. In response, Bloomberg agreed to maintain baseline funding for libraries, summer youth employment and a program for litter baskets. "The mayor was listening," Quinn said.

With a $40 million increase, libraries will continue five-day service, $10 million was added to the summer jobs program and an extra $2 million went for more litter baskets. Quinn also claimed a victory in gaining 2,000 new prekindergarten slots and said she is committed to converting all half-day pre-K slots to full-day slots over the next four years.

The Queens Borough Public Library reached a record of 20 million items circulated this year, one of the highest circulation numbers for a public library anywhere in the world. The increase in funding for summer jobs will allow city agencies to actively recruit year-round. "This sends an important message to kids," Quinn said.

A task force created by Quinn to investigate complaints about the Department of Buildings (DOB) finished its work in June. Quinn said funding for hiring more DOB personnel was needed. She also commented on the task force she created on hospital closings.

One city agency Quinn would like baseline funding for is the Department of Parks and Recreation. "I wish we could get that," she said, adding that increased funding for tree pruning was obtained.

"As we move forward, we have a lot of work still on our agenda," Quinn said, citing planned future efforts to reduce the number of hungry people in New York City by more than half and the expansion of greenmarkets in the outer boroughs.

"To be successful, we need to have as strong a connection as possible to community leaders like you," Quinn said.