With a $4.9 billion budget gap looming, city departments face budget cuts across the board, and the Parks Department is no exception. Mayor Bloomberg's $63.6 billion preliminary spending plan for the next fiscal year anticipates the Parks Department's budget shrinking by 9.4 percent, to $239.1 million, the Post reports. There's talk of staff cuts of up to 20 percent, from 3,722 to 2,974, and four of the city's 54 outdoor pools are set to close. The pool season will also be shortened by two weeks, saving the city $1.4 million. Naturally, Geoffrey Croft at NYC Park Advocates is pissed.
"Taking care of parks simply isn't a priority with this administration," Croft tells the Post, describing the proposed cuts as "just another slap in the face to the public." The proposed reduced Parks budget would amount to less than four-tenths of 1 percent of the city's entire spending plan, which Croft considers too far too little. But Parks spokesman Philip Abramson tells us, "In tough times, city agencies are being asked to do more with less, and a minimal number of parks and recreational facilities will be affected in the coming year. There are no layoffs at this time, and Parks’ cuts are in line with all city agencies."
The four pools to run dry this summer have yet to be determined, but to paraphrase Hellen Keller, whenever Bloomberg closes a pool, he (sometimes) opens a concert venue.
