Mayor Adams’ 2025 spending scheme could’ve been worse — but also better

Mayor Adams’ $111.6 billion spending plan for the coming fiscal year could’ve been a lot more reckless — but a lot more cautious, too.

Good news: Though the bottom line is up $4 billion over this year’s adopted budget, after adjusting for prepayments and added spending, it’s actually down a hair.  

City-funded outlays will climb by about $5 billion, or 6.3%, offsetting the loss of expiring COVID-related federal funds.

Bad news: The current budget includes about $7.5 billion in outlays tacked on after its adoption — and no doubt Adams’ new one will similarly see major upcharges later on.

For starters, the City Council’s spendaholics will surely demand more spending before the budget takes effect.

Plus, as Citizens Budget Commission President Andrew Rein notes, Adams has already “low-balled expenditures” by about $2 billion, based on the current level of city services.