QUESTION
Why was funding for the library systems not included in the administration's budget plan?
0:40:50
·
54 sec
Council Member Justin Brannan questions why certain funding for the three library systems was not included in the administration's budget plan. Dennis Walcott, President and CEO of the Queens Public Library, responds that they have not received any explanation from the administration regarding the omission of this funding.
- Brannan states that the City Council's budget response called for allocating $58.3 million to restore baseline cuts and provide additional funding for the library systems.
- However, none of these funds were included in the administration's executive budget plan.
- Walcott confirms they have had ongoing communication with the administration on other issues, but not regarding the specifics of the budget.
Justin Brannan
0:40:50
I wanna jump right into it.
0:40:51
So council's FY 24 budget response, we called on the administration to allocate an additional $58,300,000 to 3 library systems as funding would have restored the baseline cut of 22,100,000 to library budgets from the November plan would have reinstated the one shot funding from $20,500,000 from FY24, and it would have covered the $15,700,000 subsidy provided through the council discretionary funds.
0:41:20
None of these funds were restored in the executive plan.
0:41:23
So has the administration explained why none of this funding was included in their plan?
Dennis Walcott
0:41:30
We have not heard anything at all.
0:41:33
I I will I will add, though.
0:41:34
I mean, we've had ongoing communication with administration around specific things, but nothing dealing with the budget itself.
Justin Brannan
0:41:43
Wild.
