Mayor De Blasio To Furlough Himself And His Staff For Week To Combat Budget Crisis
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio plans to furlough his City Hall staff - including himself - for a week to combat the city's budget crisis.
De Blasio, first lady Chirlane McCray and nearly 500 other staff members will take an unpaid furlough at some point between October and March 2021.
WATCH: Mayor De Blasio Announces City Hall Furloughs
"Every mayor's office employee will be taking a furlough, and that obviously includes myself," he said Wednesday. "This is a step you never want to see for good, hardworking people. The folks who worked here throughout this crisis, they have not been working 35 or 40-hour weeks. They have been working 80-hour weeks, 90-hour weeks, 100-hour weeks because they believe in this city and they've been fighting for all of you."
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
- Tri-State Coronavirus Travel Advisory Quarantine List
- Resources, Hotlines, Unemployment & Covering Bills
- Remote Learning Tools For Parents Teaching At Home
- CBS2's Dr. Max Answers Your Health Questions
- What To Do If Someone Isn't Social Distancing Or Wearing A Mask?
- Expert: Parents Be Mindful Of Children's Stress After Months Of Isolation
- Chopper 2 Over Empty NYC Streets, Landmarks
- Complete Coronavirus Coverage
The mayor has said the city is facing a $9 billion revenue shortfall because of the coronavirus pandemic and warned he may have to lay off 22,000 municipal workers.
During Wednesday's briefing, he said he "sees no indication" there will be a federal stimulus from Washington, but he's still holding out hope for borrowing power from the state.
"Right now, we don't have that support, and we have to keep making tough choices to move this city forward," he said.
De Blasio said his office has now cut its budget 12% for the fiscal year 2021.
"So it is with pain that I say they and their families will lose a week's pay. But it's something we have to do, and something I have to do," the mayor said.
He estimated the furloughs will save around $1 million.
You can get the latest news, sports and weather on our brand new CBS New York app. Download here.
