By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
CITY HALL — The City Council has voted to pass its budget for 2011, slashing funding from schools and a slew of social programs in an effort to save police, fire companies and children's services from the axe.
"I'm proud to say that, despite the difficult times we're facing... we have successfully negotiated and will pass a balanced, on-time budget for Fiscal Year 2011," Council Speaker Christine Quinn told reporters before the vote.
Quinn and Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced late Thursday that they had come to an agreement on the budget — six days before they are required do so by law.
The council's final version of the bill restores funding to a number of areas that had faced the chopping block under the Mayor's harsh executive budget proposal.
That includes $37.4 million to keep 20 fire companies operating, an extra $61.5 million to keep libraries open five days a week, and an additional $36.1 million to fund after-school programming.
But the cuts still run deep. The budget includes significant reductions in funding for senior centers, day-care programs and adult literacy programs. An as yet unspecific number of city jobs, including several thousand teaching positions, will also likely be lost.
Quinn acknowledged that the cuts will sting. But in light of the recession and the drying up of federal stimulus funds, she said, "This is the reality of the best the mayor and the council could do in the times that we are in."
Quinn said that the council's overarching strategy was to cut discretionary spending in order to restore funding to city agencies to keep core services intact.
Both the Mayor and the council also focused on public safety, deciding against laying off police, firefighters and caseworkers at the Administration for Children's Services.
Bloomberg praised the passage, which he described as a joint effort between his office and the council.
"The passage of an on-time, balanced for Fiscal Year 2011 — with no tax increases — again demonstrates this Administration and the City Council can work out differences," he said in a statement shortly after the vote.
"Now we can forward with the business of delivering and improving City services and planning for the year ahead and beyond."
The mayor said he hopes that lawmakers in Albany will soon come to their own resolution on the State budget.
The city's 63.1 billion budget will go into effect July 1.
