Community Boards Protest Budget Cuts

June 18, 2009

Despite the looming dark clouds above the steps of City Hall, a tough crowd braved the weather last Tuesday, June 9, to show support for New York City’s local community boards.

The city’s 59 community boards are facing major budget cuts. Mayor Bloomberg has proposed a budget for the new fiscal year which, if passed, would cut almost $35,000 per board starting July 1. Community boards already have low budgets of less than $200,000.

Ivine Galarza, district manager of Community Board 6, called the proposed cuts “devastating.” If they pass, she said, Board 6 would have to let go one of its two longtime staff members, one of whom is already part-time, and would not be able to keep the office open every day. Galarza and other district managers said that with fewer staff, community boards would inevitably be less effective in helping locals access higher democratic institutions, resolve neighborhood complaints and review land use issues.

At the rally, the Borough Presidents of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx all voiced their appreciation for and support of local community boards. Bronx BP Ruben Diaz, Jr. called them the “frontline of service and democracy.” In the current economic downturn, these boards are necessary to “keep our neighborhoods clean and safe,” Diaz said.

Galarza hopes the funding will be restored, as it was last year, when similar cuts were proposed. So far, the city council appears to be backing the boards, and Galarza said that with all city council members up for reelection, they are unlikely to antagonize the community boards this year. But she is afraid of what will happen next year, and said she fears this is the opening shot in an effort by the mayor to do away with the them entirely.

“This is probably the beginning of the demise of community planning boards,” she said.

By MOLLY RYAN & RACHEL WALDHOLZ

Written by admin · Filed Under Latest, News/Features 

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