New York City Council aiming to vote on budget next Thursday

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration and the City Council are aiming to wrap up budget negotiations in time for lawmakers to vote on the fiscal year 2017 spending plan during the City Council’s next scheduled stated meeting on June 9, sources told City & State.

De Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito hope to shake hands and announce the framework – a city tradition called the handshake agreement – early next week, the sources said.

Eric Koch, a spokesman for Mark-Viverito, said the City Council is going through its normal budget process but did not comment on the June 9 target.

In recent years, the Council has aimed to pass the budget by July 1, the first day of New York City’s fiscal year. During the past two budget cycles, the city passed legislation that authorizes it to spend already appropriated money – should the need arise – after the June 5 budget deadline written into the city charter and before a new budget is voted on. No so-called budget extender has been passed this year.

City legislators have pressed the administration to fund more summer jobs for youths, increase assistance for emergency food providers like soup kitchens and food pantries and to boost spending for a number of city Department for the Aging initiatives. Council members are also calling for resources to keep library branches open at least six days a week and to offer more support to cultural organizations.

De Blasio spokeswoman Freddi Goldstein did not comment on the goal of reaching an agreement by June 9, but said in a statement, "We look forward to continuing to work with Council and our partners throughout the budget process."