STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ  RE: FY2012 Budget 

“Despite the dire fiscal situation this City currently faces, I am glad to see that Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council have put forward a budget that does as little harm to our most vulnerable populations as it possibly can. I am happy that the three Bronx fire companies that were slated for closure have been spared, that our libraries and senior centers will remain open, and that we have avoided teacher layoffs.

“I am also happy to see that the City has agreed to provide new funding to speed up the removal of toxic PCBs from our public schools. This issue has been a major priority of my administration, and this funding puts us one step closer to making sure that all of our school buildings are safe for both the children and adults that use them every day.

“Given that Albany did not come through for the City with the appropriate fiscal resources we deserve, this budget makes the best of a bad situation. I thank Mayor Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and the entire City Council for their efforts to put forward the best possible budget for the City of New York,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.