#De Blasio and lawmakers in budget stalemate over NYPD cuts, layoffs

Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council are at a stalemate in budget negotiations — just five days before a deal must be reached by law — over $1 billion in NYPD cuts proposed by Speaker Corey Johnson and the 22,000 municipal layoffs threatened by City Hall.

“I still think there’s a pretty big delta, a really big delta,” said Johnson during a press briefing Thursday about the divergent views between Hizzoner and lawmakers over $87 billion in proposed spending.

When asked if he would accept $240 million in cuts to the NYPD as reportedly proposed by the mayor, Johnson declined to confirm the offer but said, “They are not where we need them to be.

“They’re not where a majority of the council members need them to be.” Johnson said.

He urged the mayor to try harder to cut administrative fat from the budget including by trimming the Dept. of Education’s behemoth bureaucracy.

Johnson also rejected the mayor’s claim Wednesday that laying off 22,000 city workers was “the only way” to deal with the devastating economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We believe we can, yes,” Johnson said when asked if he could reach a balanced budget without the mass layoffs.

Johnson refused to say whether he’d ask for an extension on the June 30 budget deadline.