It’s budget week. Maybe. The New York City Council is supposed to ratify its annual spending plan before the start of the fiscal year July 1, which falls on Saturday. And while it usually does so, talk of a late budget has been swirling for weeks. Why? To start with, Council members have been busy running for reelection, meaning negotiations are likely to begin in earnest after Tuesday’s primary. The two sides of City Hall have already been in talks for about a week and a half, according to a Council spokesperson. Then there’s the state of affairs between Mayor Eric Adams, who didn’t rule out a late budget last month, and lawmakers. The two sides are currently in an epic disagreement over a package of housing voucher bills. The mayor vetoed the legislation Friday. And the Council now plans to override that decision. They've also clashed over the mayor’s savings initiatives, with acerbic criticism from budget director Jacques Jiha. Should lawmakers blow past the deadline, the city charter stipulates the current budget will be carried forward until an accord is reached, according to the Citizens Budget Commission. But there are a few reasons why that would be an undesirable situation. Any uncertainty in the city’s financial situation could affect its bond rating — a metric the mayor is very proud of. And while the budget itself would automatically carry forward, the Council would need to pass related legislation before Saturday to roll over billions of surplus dollars from the expiring spending plan. Both sides told POLITICO on Sunday they have no intention of being late. But there are some areas — such as library funding, a raise for social service workers and funding for education and seniors — that lawmakers are making a priority at the bargaining table. “The mayor’s proposed budget contained cuts in nearly every area of essential services for New Yorkers that the Council is fighting to restore,” Council spokesperson Mandela Jones said in a statement. The mayor’s office, meanwhile, said passing the budget before the deadline is essential to keeping some of those same services flowing. “The most effective way for the City Council to ensure we can continue funding shared priorities and services that keep New York City clean and safe is to work with us toward an early or on-time budget,” Spokesperson Fabien Levy said in a statement. “And we look forward to that continued partnership in the coming days.” IT’S MONDAY. WHERE’S KATHY? Appearing as a guest on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and making an announcement on the long island rail road concourse at Penn Station. WHERE’S ERIC? Delivering an education-related announcement at City Hall Rotunda, remarks at NYC junior ambassadors’ end-of-year ceremony, a gun violence-related announcement, and remarks at the launch and inaugural meeting of his Jewish Advisory Council. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Children and teenagers are facing a crisis unlike anything this country has ever seen before. Today, mental health challenges run deep, as our youth face staggering rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide.” — Gov. Kathy Hochul in a Daily News op-ed on the state’s efforts to fight youth mental health problems.
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