After months of uncertainty, New York City Mayor Eric Adams reached a deal with the City Council on a new budget for 2025 that restores funding to libraries, parks, museums, and cultural institutions that was originally set to be cut.
The new budget, announced by the Mayor’s office on Thursday, restores $58 million to the New York, Brooklyn, and Queens library systems; $53 million cultural institutions and museums; and adds $15 million to the city’s Parks department for maintenance and cleaning jobs.
The deal was reached ahead of a midnight deadline on June 30, though the complete terms have yet to be released.
In April, the Mayor’s office released a proposed budget of $111.6 billion that reversed numerous cuts to city programs made in November, but which included those to the library system. As a result of the November cuts, the libraries reduced service to five days a week and had to delay the reopening of certain branches.
Last week, during a rally led by City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and numerous leaders of cultural institutions, Lucy Sexton, executive director of New Yorkers for Culture and Arts, said that this year’s budget cuts to the arts had “a devastating impact” that had led to closings, layoffs, reduced hours, and reduced offerings. Leaders for the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the American Natural History Museum, the Public Theater, and Carnegie Hall were all in attendance, among others.
Despite the acrimony over the budgeting process, Mayor Adams repeatedly said that he and Speaker Adams would “land the plane” on a budget.
“Since day one, our administration has been laser focused on delivering for working-class New Yorkers and by working side-by-side with our partners across the hall, we are proud to announce a full restoration of funds to both our libraries and cultural institutions in the upcoming budget. These institutions are a critical part of New York City’s social fabric, which New Yorkers depend on for their children’s growth and the vibrancy of our city,” the Mayor said in a statement.
“Our arts and cultural institutions and libraries are foundational pillars of our city, and New Yorkers depend on their services every day,” Speaker Adams said in a statement. “The Council has consistently championed funding restorations for these institutions as a top priority, and we’re proud to reach an agreement with Mayor Adams and the administration to successfully secure these critical investments for them in the city budget.”
City Council is set to vote on the new budget on Sunday, the City reported Thursday.
