Mixed Reaction To Budget Deal In Northeast Queens

Northeast Queens residents, community leaders and elected officials greeted news of Sunday's budget deal in Albany mostly with relief coupled with serious concerns about the future. 

The agreement, reached between Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, and state Sen. Dean Skelos, R-Nassau, includes cuts in education, social services and public safety in a budget totaling $132.5 billion — the first overall year-to-year decrease in state spending since 1995.

And as in every budget in tough economic times, there were plenty of winners and losers.

One the big winners appeared to be Queens seniors, who faced the possibility of to keep the doors open to 22 facilities in the borough devoted to the elderly, including one in Bay Terrace. That question was expected be decided in a Joint Legislative Committee later today.

However, area senior advocates and community leaders were optimistic that a deal for a full restoration of funding for the city would be reached.

"It’s wonderful. So many people have been involved in that fight," said Warren Schreiber, president of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance, who organized a rally to save senior centers at Flushing Town Hall on March 4. "For so many seniors, that’s where they get their only hot meal of the day. Without those senior centers they would be totally isolated."

One Baysider reached today also was glad to hear seniors would be spared from steep budget cuts.

"It's great," said Steve Marden, adding, "As long as the money isn't taken from sick babies."

The likely good news for seniors came in contrast to deep cuts in other areas like education, which according to the budget deal cut Sunday, will be cut by $1.2 billion statewide. 

That will certainly mean less money for city schools. Earlier this month, Mayor Michael Bloomberg released a "doomsday" budget plan that called for  teacher layoffs — including .

On NY1 this afternoon, Bloomberg called the proposed state budget an "outrage," calling the reductions the biggest cut in state funding in city history.

Despite the big cuts in state education spending, a 650 reduction in prison beds and a cap in Medicaid spending for 2012, the mood in Albany was largely celebratory as legislators prepared to pass an on-time budget for the first time since 1983.

"I have said that New York is at a crossroads — one road leading to further dysfunction and decline, the other towards fiscal responsibility and government efficiency. I believe this budget puts us on the right path," Cuomo said. "This budget makes tough choices, which is what you sent me to Albany to do."

Cuomo also touted the proposed budget's closing of the state's $10 billion deficit, achieved without breaking his campaign promise not to raise taxes — even on those making over $250,000.

As part of the deal, the so-called "Millionaire's Tax" will be allowed to expire.

Assemblyman Ed Braunstein, D-Bayside, expressed disappointment that a Democrat-backed proposal to raise extra revenue through a tax on those making more than $1 million a year failed to gain enough support.

"We wanted to cut $9.3 billion and institute a 2 percent tax on people making over $1 million per year to save us from the most severe cuts," Braunstein said. "But the governor and the Senate Republicans wanted all $10 billion cut. This was just a one-year temporary fix until the economy turns around."