By Ben Fractenberg
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — After six weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations the City Council announced an agreement Thursday with the Bloomberg administration to save millions of dollars in funding to programs including fire companies, LGBT youth services and senior services.
The deal comes one day after gay rights advocates blasted the mayor for releasing a YouTube video welcoming LGBT teens to the city while his proposed budget slashed funding for homeless youth programs.
“We have far more kids coming to us than we’re able to serve. I knew that with other programs closing we would’ve had a flood of additional kids that we wouldn’t have been able to care for,” said Carl Siciliano, executive director of the Ali Forney Youth Center for LGBT teens. “I think the City Council took the lead and I’m very grateful.”
