For the
past 7 years, I have had to take part in a ridiculous annual budget dance with
the two people who control my office’s budget: the Mayor and the Speaker of the
City Council. Historically, the Mayor proposes
cuts to the budget, and I negotiate with the Council Speaker to restore it. I have always said this is problematic
because this is an independent office that is a check on government. The office should have an independent
budget.
This year, despite a vigorous attempt to restore our budget, I have been told that we are about to be hit with a 40 percent cut to our funding. I believe this is political payback from Speaker Quinn for my spirited opposition to extending term limits without a referendum. Its anti-democratic, bad government, and politics at its worst.
My stand against overturning the will of the voters was based on good conscience, as evidenced by the fact that I am not running for reelection.
The office of the Public Advocate is vital to New Yorkers who are denied city services.
This office has helped school children get education services, senior citizens get transportation and hot meals, and victims of domestic violence find safer places to live. This office has reduced barriers to food stamps, improved women’s access to reproductive services, and increased protections for abused and neglected children. This office’s recommendations for maintaining mayoral control of the schools were used as a blueprint by the state legislature. The office has done all this with a budget that has been about half that of some borough presidents, just over $3 million at its height, or about 1/200 of 1% of the total city budget.
You definitely get your bang for the buck out of this office.
Quinn’s failure to restore will have a devastating impact on the office. She is effectively starving this office out of existence. The budget cuts will result in reducing the staff for this city-wide office from an already insufficient 40-something, leaving this office struggling to fulfill its charter mandated responsibilities. And New Yorkers who have nowhere else to turn to for help will suffer.
The office, by charter, is the watchdog over government. This cut is an attempt by the Speaker to turn this watchdog into a lapdog.
This is happening at a time when, despite the financial crisis, the proposed city budget is bigger than last year’s budget; the council is spending almost $50 million on member items; and the borough presidents, I hear, have been fully restored. I find it appalling that the Speaker couldn’t find money to restore the budget but had $17 million to hand out. The Speaker can get the money to restore the Public Advocate’s budget from wherever it is she is parking funds.
Finally, I’d like to make clear that this isn’t about me. I have 6 months left in office. This is about the institution. This is about good government. This is about doing right by an office that serves an important need for many New Yorkers.
Check out the video below, or at YouTube:
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