Jul 7, 2009 6:02 am US/Eastern
NYC Freezes Hiring Because Of Senate Gridlock
Mayor Bloomberg Delaying Planned City Hires Indefinitely, Says Albany Chaos Is Holding Up New Tax Revenue
No New Cops, Firefighters, EMS Workers Or School Safety Agents
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Mayor Michael Bloomberg is ordering an immediate hiring freeze because he says the state Senate gridlock is holding up new tax revenue for the city. (file)
AP
Albany chaos is now hitting the city, as Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered an across-the-board freeze on hiring and the awarding of city contracts.
"I've instructed the city's budget director to immediately freeze all hiring while the gridlock in the state Senate imperils the city's budget," Bloomberg said in a statement Monday.
It was to be a joyous week in the police department, with 250 recruits due to be sworn in on Wednesday. Now, their jobs are on hold, and there is no way to know when – or if – the city will have the money to hire them.
"We hope the problem is addressed soon so we can start training the police officers we need," NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
Mayor Bloomberg ordered the freeze Monday afternoon, saying the Albany circus has prevented the state senate from approving an increase of 0.5 percent in the city sales tax – money the city needs to balance the budget.
"It's clear that the inaction in Albany has real life consequences. There's no point in hiring city employees if we don't know we have the money to pay for them," Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler said.
The state must approve new tax measures that were included in the city's budget for fiscal year 2010, which began July 1.
Without them, the mayor says the city is losing $60 million a month and could be $900 million in the red if no agreement can be met by the end of the year.
In addition to the cops whose jobs are in limbo, the city will no longer be able to make the following hires:
* 150 firefighters
* 151 traffic agents
* 34 emergency 9-1-1 operators
* 175 school safety agents
* 90 emergency medical technicians
* 20 3-1-1 operators.
The mayor has also ordered a review of all city contracts to make sure that non-essential obligations are put on hold. On the chopping block, the mayor said, are the "entire universe" of contracts with independent agencies.
Even if Senate Democrats and Republicans were starting to warm up to each other, that says nothing about their willingness or ability to settle the ongoing leadership dispute.
Until that happens, the Senate remains locked in a 31-31 deadlock.
Many New Yorkers said the senators should be ashamed of being paid to do nothing, while their constituents lose city services.
"It's a terrible mess and I don't know what kind of pressures the mayor is going to be able to put on those guys up there in Albany they're tough," said Barbara Morris of the Upper West Side.
"If they had our best interests in mind they would have resolved this two months ago," Samir Ahmad added.
"It sounds like they only have their own interests and they're just bickering like children," Dominique Isbecque said.
Stay with CBS 2 and wcbstv.com for more on this story as it develops.
CBS 2 HD's Hazel Sanchez contributed to this report.
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