New York City took a hit in the new White House budget, suffering cuts to Medicare, housing, anti-poverty and first-responder programs.

New York Daily News
What weighs 11 lbs., has 2,400 pages...
BY KENNETH R. BAZINET
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON - New York City took a hit yesterday in the new White House budget, suffering cuts to Medicare, housing, anti-poverty and first-responder programs.

Congressional analysts projected a $30 million cut in the city's Medicare funding, hurting many of New York's 1 million recipients.

The city also could lose $32 million in first-responder funding, $30 million in anti-poverty programs and $9million for housing.

"The message to children and families could not be clearer - you are on your own," said Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) at Union Settlement, an outreach center on Manhattan's lower East Side.

With budget cuts to health, education, housing and poverty-elimination programs, Clinton called it an "upside-down" budget plan, amid nearly half a trillion dollars in tax cuts in the next five years.

Despite cuts to first-responder programs, the plan would increase funding in homeland security programs like the High-Threat Urban Areas initiative and grants for law enforcement terrorism prevention.

"I call it the good, the bad and the ugly budget ... overall, homeland security is good," said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

President Bush sent Congress a $2.77 trillion spending plan, including a 7% increase in funding for the Pentagon and the forecast of a record $423 billion deficit for the year.

If the worst scenario played out, the city could see nearly a $1 billion loss in federal revenue, said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn, Queens), but he and other New York lawmakers vowed to restore the funding in Congress, especially because it's an election year and Republicans don't want to take the blame for cuts.

Mayor Bloomberg said the budget fight had just begun. "Rest assured we'll be working very hard in Washington to fight for those programs that help New York City," he said.

The 2,400-page document weighs 11 pounds and costs $264 at government bookstores. It's free online at the White House Web site.

With David Saltonstall and Michael Saul in New York