A growing coalition of nearly 20 City Council Members and leaders from the City’s largest unions and social service advocacy groups joined together at City Hall yesterday to announce the “People’s Budget” plan —a third-way plan to balance the budget and reduce proposed cuts by ending what they described as "failed subsidies to the largest banks", reducing non-human services related city contracts, adopting recommendations by the City’s Independent Budget Office, and enacting a fairer tax code.

Advocates claimed that the plan has gained traction recently, with Council Members endorsing it in increasing numbers last week and Monday – approaching the majority of votes needed to pass a budget – and key Council Committee chairs taking action on some of its individual points.  The development comes as other efforts to balance the budget while reducing cuts to education and the social safety net have faltered.

"Everyone is approaching these budget negotiations with a spirit of  'shared sacrifice' except for Mayor Bloomberg, who continues to act as though his job is protect those who can afford it most,” said Brad Lander, co-chair of the Progressive Caucus and representative of the 39th Council District.  “I'm proud to stand today with a coalition of groups all willing to do our part, but also demanding that the wealthiest individuals and institutions also do theirs.  We are headed for disastrous consequences if we don't start looking at a better balance of cuts, controlling contract spending, and real revenue options right now."

“The cuts proposed by Mayor Bloomberg will devastate our city’s social safety net,” said Council Member and Progressive Caucus co-chair Melissa Mark-Viverito.  “Now more than ever, we need his leadership to look at the kinds of alternative cuts and revenue raisers proposed by the May 12th Coalition.”

"The toll that the Mayor's proposed cuts are going to take on human, educational and other services that are vital to our most vulnerable communities is too much for the City to bear,” said Daniel Dromm, 25th Council District.

“This coalition has explored the alternatives and I am confident that there are ways to reduce the budget gap that do not include laying off teachers or ending social services for the neediest among us,” said City Council Member Margaret Chin, 1st Council District.  “This is a $66 billion budget.  Not only have we identified ways to stave off drastic cuts to essential services, but we have identified ways to make money.  I urge Mayor Bloomberg to ask big banks, hedge funds, and the top 1 percent of earners to start paying their fair share.  I urge Mayor Bloomberg to stand on the side of the everyday people who are integral to this City’s success.”

“There is a choice to cutting $285 million in critical human services that help the poor and middle class in NYC to work, care for their families, and become self-sufficient,” said Michael Stoller, Executive Director of the Human Services Council of NYC. "Revenue and alternative savings proposals have to be part of the budget debate, nonprofits and the clients they serve have paid much more than their fair share for long enough."

“With record homelessness and shelters at the breaking point, this is no time to balance the budget on the backs of our City's most vulnerable," said Mary Brosnahan, Executive Director of Coalition for the Homeless.  “Schools, daycare centers and programs for homeless New Yorkers are all targeted for deep cuts.  Yet our largest banks, with lucrative contracts with the City, remain untouched.  It’s time for Chase, Citibank, and Morgan Stanley to pay their fair share.  Our City Council Members are standing up to save New York ’s vital services by demanding shared sacrifice.  It's time for Mayor Bloomberg to step up and join them."

Tuesday’s announcement is the near-culmination of a coordinated campaign to add sensible revenue options beginning with the May 12 coalition’s 20,000-person rally on Wall Street.

Council Members Robert Jackson, Margaret Chin, Letitia James, Mathieu Eugene, Jumaane Williams, Stephen Levin, Brad Lander, Ydanis Rodriguez, James Van Bramer, Melissa Mark-Viverito, and Charles Barron attended today’s event along with members of  Make the Road New York, the May 12 Coalition, United Federation of Teachers president Michael Mulgrew, Human Services Council and member organizations, VOCAL-NY, Coalition for the Homeless, Coalition for Education Justice and New York Communities for Change.

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