President Trump’s proposed federal budget cuts could gut programs in New York City, putting the city in “the crosshairs,” Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill said Thursday. The skinnied-up numbers in the proposed budget could mean at least $100 million lost in public school funding, $150 million in cuts to public housing, cuts to Meals on Wheels and $190 million in cuts to the NYPD’s counterterrorism efforts. “Under the president’s proposal, nearly all federal funding to the NYPD would be eradicated,” O’Neill said. “This funding is absolutely critical. It is the backbone of our entire counterterrorism apparatus.”
Under @POTUS budget, virtually all fed funding to #NYPD eradicated. Entire counterterrorism apparatus in nation’s top terror target hobbled. pic.twitter.com/Vetyv1aZrH
— Commissioner O’Neill (@NYPDONeill) March 16, 2017
Since his campaign, Trump has portrayed himself as a law and order president and has claimed he has a “foolproof” planto defeat ISIS that he would only share after he was elected.
RELATED:NYPD ‘cherry picking’ officers for Trump Tower detail: Report “NYC remains one of the top terror targets in the world and certainly the No. 1 target in the U.S.,” O’Neill added. “The federal government has long acknowledged that fact and cutting this funding would make us increasingly less safe.”
O’Neill said the budget cuts would affect the number of officers on the force, active shooter training for tens of thousands of officers and the bomb squad, which safely removed apressure cooker explosive in Manhattanlast year.
“It is the cornerstone of effective preparedness and prevention against terrorist threats, and enables us to do what we can do to keep this city secure,” O’Neill said. “To everyone who lives in, works in, and visits New York City, this money’s critical to keeping everybody safe.”
“Simply put, we cannot afford to cut corners in fighting terrorism.”
The fights going on now tell us a lot about the true nature of the American People. Pushback on this budget will have real impact.
— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 16, 2017
Later on Twitter, de Blasio wrote, “Let me be clear: New York City is in the crosshairs of the president’s budget. New Yorkers will be hurt by it,” before inviting Trump to return to the city to”talk to the people hurt by his budget.”
