Jul 7, 2009 8:46 am US/Eastern
Bloomberg: Fiscal Chaos In NYC Around The Corner
Albany Impasse Costing Big Apple; Forces Drastic Action From Bloomberg
No New Cops, Firefighters, EMS Workers Or School Safety Agents
Reporting
Jay Dow
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
The Albany impasse is now hitting New York City, hard. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is taking drastic measures, including imposing a hiring freeze to prepare for the financial gaps expected from the Senate stalemate.
When it comes to the disintegration of any sense of order in the New York State Senate, it's a matter of cause and effect. More simply, Mayor Bloomberg warns fiscal chaos in the Big Apple is right around the corner.
The city has already postponed tomorrow's graduation of 250 NYPD recruits.
"I thoughty they'd solved their problems two, three ago," said Bloomberg on Monday. "I don't think anyone expected this to go on, and yet it does. This is the fourth largest state in the country, and it's just fundamentally not functioning."
The Senate deadlock isn't just bothering those inside the political world. New Yorkers are fed up as well.
"I think it's criminal. I think they shouldn't be paid because they're costing a lot of money and inconvenience to a lot of people," said Upper West side resident Dominique Isbecque.
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.
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.
CBS 2's Marcia Kramer and Hazel Sanchez contributed to this report.
Stay with CBS 2 HD and WCBSTV.com for any updates in this developing story.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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