A "doomsday" contingency budget calls for up to $1 billion in cuts, including the additional layoffs of up to 10,000 city employees and the closing of 30 to 40 more firehouses, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday.
But Bloomberg said he remained hopeful the city would get financial aid from state lawmakers in Albany and concessions from labor leaders that would prevent the "devastating" cuts contained in the contingency plan from taking place.
You always know when a local politician is making a play for state or federal money because they talk loudly about closing crucial services. Since 911, firehouses and firemen have taken on a kind of mythical status, and rightly so. If you're a politician that wants some handouts then you dangle the heroes. I have no doubt that Michael Bloomberg can balance the budget by cutting other things that most wouldn't miss. I can imagine that social spending in New York is off the meter, but he chooses to cut firehouses, because a bigger budget is more power, and why else would a billionaire want to be mayor, but the power.
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