Summary of Dept. of Cultural Affairs Proposed Budget FY 12
Friday, May 13, 2011
Summary of Dept. of Cultural Affairs Proposed Budget FY 12
The recommendations proposed by the Mayor last Friday are not significantly different in total numbers for the Expense section of the DCA budget from that which he recommended in his preliminary budget in mid-February. When the budget was adopted last June for the current fiscal year, the agency was provided $150 million, later changed slightly to $151.7 million.
The current proposal is for $100.9 million – a decrease of $50.8 million. The recommendation in February was for $101.3 million, so the overall change is minimal. However, cultural organizations were part of the mid-year city wide decrease.
By category, the proposed cuts for FY12 compared to the original FY11 numbers are:
Program/CDF $17,262.174 (includes elimination of CASA and all
additions from Council members)
CIGs $33,689,059 (includes all additions from Council)
TOTAL $50,951,233 PROPOSED DECREASE
Below are two charts, which show the past four years of funding at DCA and a comparison of the proposed cuts with the City Council restorations and/or additions. Aside from the size of the proposed loss, the history of what the Council has done is important to keep in mind. This is a very large cut for them to restore and the revenues of the City are constrained – at best.
CITY COUNCIL BUDGET HEARING ON CULTURAL AFFAIRS:
Date: May 23 at 11:30 AM
Place: 250 Broadway, 14th Fl.
Only the Dept. of Cultural Affairs will be permitted to testify at this first hearing. It is important to hear the questions they are asked. AND, those questions will be based on what you have talked to Council members and/or their staffs about. They cannot ask about your concerns if they don’t hear about them from you. Write, call or meet with your Council member. And attend the hearing, so you can follow up with them if you have concerns that were not addressed or heard issues that you think need to be explained further. (Plan for extra time at security. It will be crowded.)
Date for Public Hearing: June 6 at 3:30 PM
Place: 49-51 Chambers Street (Emigrant Savings Bank)
If you wish to provide public testimony, this is the only opportunity. Strongly urge that you communicate with your City Council member long before June 6.
COMMENTARY and CONTEXT:
The proposed city expense budget for FY12 totals $65.7 Billion. Of that $48.2 billion is from city revenues, $6.5 Billion is federal and $11 billion from state. City funds have increased over past two years, federal funds have decreased significantly and state cuts are large.
There are very deep cuts throughout many parts of this proposed budget. For example, the Brooklyn Public Library is cut from $39 Million to $16 Million. Summer Youth Employment slots are cut by 2,140 places. The massive teacher layoffs have been widely reported.
In order for the Council to restore cuts, they must find money within the revenue projected by the Mayor. They cannot alter those projections, so restorations require cuts elsewhere. The cultural cuts are very large, and it will require a lot of effort on their part to do this.
Please do not assume any Council member who has been supportive in the past can be counted on to do so automatically this year. They have some difficult choices and you must let them know what you do with the funds you receive and why those dollars are essential in their districts. They need to hear about the human impact and the jobs provided.
The current proposal is for $100.9 million – a decrease of $50.8 million. The recommendation in February was for $101.3 million, so the overall change is minimal. However, cultural organizations were part of the mid-year city wide decrease.
By category, the proposed cuts for FY12 compared to the original FY11 numbers are:
Program/CDF $17,262.174 (includes elimination of CASA and all
additions from Council members)
CIGs $33,689,059 (includes all additions from Council)
TOTAL $50,951,233 PROPOSED DECREASE
Below are two charts, which show the past four years of funding at DCA and a comparison of the proposed cuts with the City Council restorations and/or additions. Aside from the size of the proposed loss, the history of what the Council has done is important to keep in mind. This is a very large cut for them to restore and the revenues of the City are constrained – at best.
CITY COUNCIL BUDGET HEARING ON CULTURAL AFFAIRS:
Date: May 23 at 11:30 AM
Place: 250 Broadway, 14th Fl.
Only the Dept. of Cultural Affairs will be permitted to testify at this first hearing. It is important to hear the questions they are asked. AND, those questions will be based on what you have talked to Council members and/or their staffs about. They cannot ask about your concerns if they don’t hear about them from you. Write, call or meet with your Council member. And attend the hearing, so you can follow up with them if you have concerns that were not addressed or heard issues that you think need to be explained further. (Plan for extra time at security. It will be crowded.)
Date for Public Hearing: June 6 at 3:30 PM
Place: 49-51 Chambers Street (Emigrant Savings Bank)
If you wish to provide public testimony, this is the only opportunity. Strongly urge that you communicate with your City Council member long before June 6.
COMMENTARY and CONTEXT:
The proposed city expense budget for FY12 totals $65.7 Billion. Of that $48.2 billion is from city revenues, $6.5 Billion is federal and $11 billion from state. City funds have increased over past two years, federal funds have decreased significantly and state cuts are large.
There are very deep cuts throughout many parts of this proposed budget. For example, the Brooklyn Public Library is cut from $39 Million to $16 Million. Summer Youth Employment slots are cut by 2,140 places. The massive teacher layoffs have been widely reported.
In order for the Council to restore cuts, they must find money within the revenue projected by the Mayor. They cannot alter those projections, so restorations require cuts elsewhere. The cultural cuts are very large, and it will require a lot of effort on their part to do this.
Please do not assume any Council member who has been supportive in the past can be counted on to do so automatically this year. They have some difficult choices and you must let them know what you do with the funds you receive and why those dollars are essential in their districts. They need to hear about the human impact and the jobs provided.
