Public Employee Press


DC 37 Budget and Pension news
Union racks up wins in city budget

By ALFREDO ALVARADO

Mayor Bill de Blasio reached an agreement with the City Council on the budget for fiscal 2018 which begins on July 1.

The new budget includes funds to expand universal free school lunches and increase breakfast programs in the classroom to 303 additional schools; $110 million for capital improvements for the public libraries, and it adds another 5,000 jobs for the Summer Youth Employment Program.

The Dept. of Parks and Recreation also received funds to keep the city's beaches and pools open through Sept. 10 and to retain 100 City Park Workers and 50 Gardeners.

Making free lunch available to students has been a long-time demand of Board of Education Employees Local 372.

"We applaud Mayor de Blasio and Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito for the hard work they put into this budget," said DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido. "It reflects the priorities and values of all New Yorkers."

The budget builds on City Hall's ambitious plan for investing in the public schools, libraries, parks and youth workforce development.

"This is good news for our libraries," said John Hyslop, president of Queens Library Guild Local 1321. Hyslop joined several DC 37 leaders on May 25 before the council's Finance Committee to advocate for more funds the libraries.

"Life in this city is too hard for too many, but with this budget it is our goal to alleviate some of these pressures," said de Blasio in a statement to the press.

The budget also includes a property tax exemption for veterans who served during wartime. An eligible veteran could save as much as $443 annually.