NYC passes austere budget that cuts $1B from NYPD

(AP) — New York City lawmakers have approved a plan to shift $1 billion from policing to education and social services in the coming year.

The spending plan passed by the City Council early Wednesday came as lawmakers struggled to deal with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, which has sapped the city of billions of dollars in revenue. The cut to police spending fell short of what activists sought.

Mayor Bill de Blasio supports the $88.2 billion spending plan. Council Speaker Corey Johnson called the budget a disappointment, saying he wished he was able to negotiate a bigger police budget cut.