NYC Slashes 'Wartime' Budget As Coronavirus Ravages Economy

NEW YORK CITY — The proposed budget Mayor de Blasio released Thursday is unlike any the city has ever seen as New York prepares to spend $3.5 billion fighting novel coronavirus by the end of 2020.

De Blasio's $89.3 billion executive budget is $6 billion less than the $95.3 billion preliminary spending plan, released in January, that did not account for the mass unemployment spurred by Gov. Andrew Cuomo's stay-in-place order.

"A budget is a statement of values," de Blasio said Thursday. "The number one job is keeping New Yorkers healthy."

To keep up to date with coronavirus developments in NYC, sign up for Patch's news alerts and newsletter.

The budget, which makes room for an estimated $7.4 billion in lost tax revenue, calls for cancelling summer camp programs, anti-graffiti efforts and closing public pools, among others.

De Blasio did not clarify whether city beaches would close completely, but warned New Yorkers to "lower their expectations."

"Things we would love to focus on in peace time, we don't get to focus on in wartime," de Blasio said. "And this is in effect war time."

The budget prioritizes health, safety, food insecurity and housing as New Yorkers faced a pandemic that cost an estimated 10,899 New York City dwellers their lives as of April 15, de Blasio said.

It includes $170 million investment on free food programming and 11,000 free hotel rooms for healthcare workers, people who need to quarantine and the city's homeless population.

An estimated 475,000 jobs and up to $9.7 billion in revenue could be lost in 2020 and 2021, according to report from the Independent Budget Office.

Employment in New York City will is forecast to remain below the 2019 peak of 4.65 million until 2023, according to the budget.

De Blasio once again pleaded with federal lawmakers to prioritize New York City, the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, in its next stimulus package.

As of Thursday, the U.S. Senate had approved $2.2 trillion in recovery spending with just $1.4 billion to New York City. To draw a comparison, de Blasio noted the airline industry received $58 billion.

"We need more," de Blasio said. "If the federal government fails us, the notion of this city recovering doesn't work."

Coronavirus In NYC: Latest Happenings And Guidance

Email PatchNYC@patch.com to reach a Patch reporter or fill out this anonymous form to share your coronavirus stories. All messages are confidential.