City council leaders say they can save taxpayers money and preserve homeowners’ $400 rebate by cutting spending on police recruiting and standardized test prep in schools, and eliminating grass clippings from city garbage pickups.

“These are cuts we want to negotiate around to prevent some of the other cuts that the mayor has proposed that we don’t think are exactly right,” said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, whose office yesterday released 59 ideas for cost-cutting. Quinn (D-Manhattan) said her suggestions would save taxpayers $170 million during the current fiscal year and an additional $327 million in the next year.

It’s not much in a budget with a $4billion shortfall over two years, not even enough this year to cover the $256million rebate that Mayor Bloomberg wants to eliminate but that Quinn says he’s legally obliged to distribute.

But it’s a start, Quinn said.

“No one in [City Hall] sadly believes that this is the last round of cuts, so let’s get ahead of the game and make as many cuts as we can that don’t erode core services,” she said.

A spokesman for Bloomberg said he’s “continuing to work with the City Council on identifying spending cuts and efficiencies to address the massive budget deficits caused by the financial crisis.”

In addition to gutting the rebate, Bloomberg wants to raise property taxes 7%, cancel the January Police Academy class and cut budgets for schools, libraries, health clinics and other services.

Source: NY Daily News