By the timesledger staff
After fretting about teacher layoffs and cuts to library service and fire companies, Queens is breathing a sigh of relief after Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council came to a preliminary budget agreement that keeps the services intact.
The agreement came as state senators passed a plan to allow livery drivers to pick up passengers in outer boroughs and the whole state Legislature renewed rent regulations, although some advocates felt the rent legislation did not go far enough.
Bloomberg originally proposed that 2,000 teaching positions be eliminated through attrition and another 4,100 through layoffs, but the United Federation of Teachers agreed to end teacher sabbaticals for a year and require all teachers in the reserve pool who do not have full-time assignments to work as substitute teachers.
The concessions are expected to save $60 million.
Councilman Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens), one of the borough’s loudest education advocates, said he was pleased that layoffs were averted.
“Is [the budget] perfect? No, but I’m very happy to keep the teachers,” he said.
Joanne King, spokeswoman for the Queens Library, said the budget agreement saved hundreds of jobs and the borough’s branches will be open every day.
Library advocates originally feared branches would have to go to six-day service because of budget cuts.
But King said the library is still unsure if it will have to lay off workers or change hours of service.
The budget agreement also gave a reprieve to four borough fire companies that were on the chopping block: Engine Cos. 294 in Richmond Hill, 306 in Bayside, 328 in Far Rockaway and Ladder Co. 128 in Blissville.
Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone), whose brother is a firefighter, was one of the fiercest critics of Bloomberg’s plan to shutter Engine 306.
I’m delighted to see that the firehouses were saved — not just Engine 306, but all the firehouses across Queens and the city,” Halloran said.
As city officials hammered out deals, so too did state government.
The Legislature approved a renewal of rent regulations that were hailed by Cuomo and state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan), but advocates said they should have been strengthened.
“Despite fierce and well-financed opposition to working families in New York City, we were able to secure important victories for tenants,” Silver said.
Michael McKee, of the Tenants Political Action Committee, said the agreement should have abolished vacancy decontrol when tenants move out of their apartments and the lease ends.
“This is not real rent reform,” he said.
The Legislature also approved a plan awaiting Cuomo’s signature to allow travelers to hail certain livery cabs in the outer boroughs, a proposal that was one of Bloomberg’s top priorities.
The legislation allows 30,000 permits to be issued for livery cabs to pick up passengers from the outer borough and Upper Manhattan.
