In his State of the City speech last night Mayor Bloomberg warned that this is likely to be a difficult year and announced belt-tightening measures in response to the Independent Budget Office’s projection that the city will see a $3.1 billion deficit in 2009. Bloomberg is ordering all city agency heads to cut their budgets by 2.5 percent this year and 5 percent next year. Despite the predictions of economic woe, the mayor said the city would continue to offer the $400 property tax rebate and will roll out a few new services, including one that allows online access to 311. Bloomberg also noted that 2008 is the 130th anniversary of the death of Boss Tweed and said it was time to finally put to rest his style of politics.
Mayor Hails City’s Immigrants and Innovation [NY Times]
Mike Takes Baby Steps in City Plan [NY Post]
Photo from nyc.gov.