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THE
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

CITY HALL

NEW YORK,
NY 10007

http://council.nyc.gov

(212) 788-7116

**For Immediate Release**                                                                                                              

June 29, 2010

Contact: (212) 788-7116

Release # 077-2010

Please email photo
requests to walatriste@council.nyc.gov

Council
Votes To Adopt Fiscal Year 2011 Budget

Council to restore critical services for most in-need New
Yorkers; Budget is on-time and fiscally responsible

City Hall – After last week’s budget
agreement between the City Council and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the Council
will vote on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 budget. Despite limited resources from
the State, and a lack of declining stimulus dollars, the Council will adopt a
fiscally-responsible, timely budget that will not raise City taxes.

The Council’s Land Use Committees will vote on proposed
development of the Domino Sugar Refinery site on the industrial Brooklyn waterfront. The proposed project would help
to achieve the City’s goals of creating affordable housing and providing
public access to the waterfront, redeveloping an unused industrial site into a
comprehensive and economically integrated community. 

Maintaining
Critical Services

The Council will vote to adopt an on-time, fiscally responsible Fiscal
Year (FY) 2011 budget that will not raise City taxes. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2011
budget will restore the most critical services in the interest of protecting
children, maintaining public safety and keeping libraries and neighborhood
pools open.

“This year’s budget tested the City Council in several
ways,” Council Speaker Christine C.
Quinn said. “We found ourselves struggling beneath an avalanche
– the persistent economic downturn; the declining federal stimulus
dollars; the limited State resources – all this led to us ultimately
being left with practically no tools to rebuild our City after being hit by
such a historic financial crisis. Nonetheless, through a thoughtful, deliberate
process, we agreed to a fiscally-responsible, timely budget. We listened to New
Yorkers. And with their guidance and input, we restored funding for core
services for the most in-need New Yorkers. And with this foundation, our City can
lift itself up to greater heights.”

“Throughout the budget process, we heard from New Yorkers by way
of hearings, phone calls, e-mails, petitions and letters,” said Finance Committee Chair Domenic M. Recchia, Jr. 
“They told us they wanted core services maintained.  They wanted
libraries, fire companies and public pools to stay open.  They said they
couldn’t bear the burden of more taxes.  We heard them loud and
clear, and although we weren’t able to restore everything, we did the
best with the hands we were dealt by the state, the federal government and the
economic downturn.  We made the tough, responsible decisions that will not
only ensure a continued quality of life for New Yorkers, but guarantee that we
can maintain that quality of life in the years to come.  I’m proud
to say that my first budget as Finance Chairman is a good budget.  I would
like to thank Speaker Quinn for her leadership and for the trust she put in me,
my colleagues in the City Council for advocating so passionately for their
constituents, the Council’s Finance Committee for their tireless work and
dedication, and Mayor Bloomberg for his commitment to working with us toward
adopting this budget.”  

Creating
Jobs and Affordable Housing

In its Land Use Committees, the Council will vote on the redevelopment
of the now unutilized Domino Sugar Refinery site on the industrial Brooklyn waterfront.  The proposed project would
include residential, retail/commercial and community facility uses and open
space.  When completed, the project would revitalize and reactivate an
empty waterfront industrial site, securing the construction of new residential
buildings with substantial amounts of affordable housing. 

The proposed project would help to achieve the City’s goals of
creating affordable housing and providing public access to the waterfront,
redeveloping an unused industrial site into a comprehensive and economically
integrated community. The proposal includes a 100,000 square foot public school
and a supermarket which reflects the principles of the FRESH food Program as
well as four acres of publically accessible open space.   

Improving
Residential Development

In connection with the
proposed Comprehensive Coney Island Redevelopment Plan, the Council will vote
on legislation that would authorize the City to isolate and improve two parking
lots for the development of residential buildings with ground-floor retail
space. The-redevelopment of these parking lots is vital to the creation of a
new neighborhood, providing much-needed retail and housing opportunities for
the 50,000 residents of Coney Island, creating
new connections between the community and the beach and maximizing the value of
Boardwalk fronting properties.

“Last year we
passed a sweeping revitalization plan for Coney Island, aimed at restoring the
community to its former glory while providing jobs, affordable housing and
infrastructure improvements for the 50,000 people who call it home,” said Councilman Domenic M. Recchia, Jr. 
“With record crowds flocking to the Boardwalk this summer, our plan is clearly
a success.  This important legislation makes the necessary technical
changes that will allow us move forward with our rezoning plan, including the
ability to begin construction on a portion of the affordable housing we
allocated for the community.  This brings us one step closer to our vision
of a year-round entertainment destination that attracts people from around the
city, and around the world.”

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