Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Thursday, February 8, 2001

Release # 042-01

 
Contact: Sunny Mindel / Curt Ritter (212) 788-2958 View the Mayor's 2001 Preliminary MMR Press Conference
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MAYOR GIULIANI RELEASES PRELIMINARY
FISCAL YEAR 2001 MAYOR'S MANAGEMENT REPORT

New York City Remains Safest Large City in America

City's Economy Stronger Today Than it's Been in Decades

Private Sector Job Creation Remains at Record Levels

Record Number of Teachers Working While More Schools are Being Built

Number of City Welfare Recipients Falls To Lowest Level in More Than 30 Years


Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today released the Preliminary Mayor's Management Report (MMR) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001. The MMR, which measures managerial performance and service delivery by City agencies for the period from July 1, 2000 to October 31, 2000, and for selected programs through December 31, 2000, showed continued improvements in public safety, welfare reform, job creation, and the City's economy.

Published twice a year, the MMR provides New Yorkers with an objective performance report card in areas including public safety, quality of life, transportation, health and human services, and technology and customer service. It highlights accomplishments, as well as City services that require additional improvements.

"New York City government is working hard to consolidate and extend the quality of life improvements we have attained over the past seven years," said Mayor Giuliani. "The Mayor's Management Report documents these achievements, and serves as an important tool to enable agencies to perform better in the future."

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

In Calendar Year (CY) 2000 New York City's private sector job growth remained at record breaking levels, second only to 1999 when the City reached its highest private sector job growth since records began to be kept. In CY 2000 more than 77,300 private sector jobs were created. During this Administration, the City has experienced the strongest seven-year job gain on record, with the creation of more than 449,500 new jobs since January 1994. In CY 2000 New York City's private sector employment recorded a growth of 2.5 percent, outpacing the rest of the country's employment, which grew at 2.1 percent, and the rest of the State, which grew at 2.0 percent.

The City's increasing economic strength is confirmed by independent ratings of its general obligation debt. In August 2000, Moody's Investors Service upgraded New York City's General Obligation credit rating. One month later Standard and Poor's Corporation and Fitch IBCA, Inc. Investors Services upgraded New York City's General Obligation credit rating as well, citing the strength of the City's current financial condition and economy, as well as its ability to adjust effectively to short-term fiscal pressures and maintain balanced budgets. The new bond ratings, which are the highest New York City has received from Moody's and Standard and Poor's in 12 and 25 years, respectively, and the highest rating by Fitch, will save the City millions of dollars in annual interest costs for the financing of its capital program. In addition, in November 2000, for the second time in just four years, FORTUNE Magazine ranked the City as the number one place for business in North America.

New York's power to draw visitors from all over the world continues to grow. An estimated 38.4 million people visited the City in CY 2000, up almost 5 percent from the year before, and up 44 percent since 1993, the number of visitors is expected to exceed 40 million by the end of CY 2001. Spending by visitors was estimated at $16.7 billion in 2000, compared to $15.6 billion in 1999 and $10.1 billion in 1993. Hotel tax revenue to the City have increased steadily, even after the tax rate was cut in FY 1995; revenues are expected to total more than $240 million during FY 2001, up 10 percent from FY 2000.

Since FY 1994, the Giuliani Administration has reduced taxes by $2.5 billion. The City's program of targeted reductions is designed to stimulate the economy and relieve financial burdens on taxpayers, while maintaining balanced budgets and safeguarding the stability of municipal finances for the future. The City's tax revenue as a share of New Yorkers' personal income is now 7.2 percent, the lowest level in three decades.

In releasing the City's Financial Plan for FY 2001-2005, the Mayor proposed a substantial new tax reduction program valued at $1.2 billion, to ensure that the City's economy continues to grow and produce new private sector jobs. Highlights of the program include:

PUBLIC SAFETY

During the first six months of CY 2000 the City's Total FBI Index Crime rate per 100,000 population continued to decline, falling 6.6 percent from 1,975.3 crimes per 100,000 during the first half of CY 1999 to 1,844.3 per 100,000 during the same period of CY 2000. New York City ranked 160th of the 205 U.S. cities with populations over 100,000 reporting preliminary data to the FBI during the first six months of CY 2000. According to the FBI, New York remains the safest large US city.

The Administration's successful efforts to reduce major crime continued in CY 2000 when, according to preliminary figures, overall crime dropped an additional 5.6 percent to its lowest level since 1968, when modern reporting methods were instituted. In CY 2000, major felony crime declined 57 percent compared to CY 1993. Crimes against persons fell by 5.7 percent from CY 1999 to CY 2000, and by 54 percent from CY 1993 to CY 2000. Crimes against property declined by 5.6 percent from CY 1999 to CY 2000, and by 59 percent from CY 1993 to CY 2000.

The City's housing developments have seen significant overall reductions in crime, in large part due to the merger of the Housing Police with NYPD in May 1995, as well as to the increased use of closed-circuit television cameras in housing developments. Reports of major felony complaints in housing developments dropped 6.6 percent from CY 1999 to CY 2000, and 35.3 percent from CY 1995 to CY 2000.

The transit system has also seen significant reductions in crime. Reports of major felonies in the transit system dropped 5.8 percent from CY 1999 to CY 2000 and 31.5 percent from CY 1997 to CY 2000.

The New York City Police Department continues to exercise a high level of restraint in the use of force. The number of police officers firing shots (per 1,000 officers) fell to 4.32 in CY 2000, the lowest figure in 28 years of available data.

The City has strengthened its efforts to combat domestic violence by expanding its public education campaign, increasing teen and family outreach initiatives, providing safe alternatives, and reinforcing its police efforts. Average waiting time for Domestic Violence Hotline calls to be answered has decreased to 11.5 seconds during the first four months of FY 2001, compared to 13 seconds during the same period of FY 2000, and 54.3 seconds during the same period of FY 1995. The City's successful public education campaigns have contributed to increased awareness of domestic violence, and have increased the usage of the hotline. Domestic violence shelter capacity increased by 109 percent, from 653 beds at the end of FY 1992 to 1,365 beds at the end of October 2000. Bed capacity will increase by 98 additional beds in FY 2001 for a total of 1,463 beds, and will expand by 24 beds, for a total of 1,487 beds, in FY 2002.

The Fire Department (FDNY) has decreased response times in all major categories. Response to fire and medical emergencies was faster in each of the five boroughs. In the first four months of FY 2001 the Department's average Emergency Medical Service (EMS) response time to Segments 1-3 life threatening incidents was 7:20, compared to 7:58 during the first four months of FY 2000, an 8 percent decrease. During the reporting period average response time by fire companies to Segments 1-3 incidents was 4:14, an 8 percent decrease compared to 4:36 during the first four months of FY 2000. EMS and Fire Department combined average response time to Segments 1-3 incidents was 6:10 during the first four months of FY 2001. This is a decrease of 36 seconds compared with the first four months of FY 2000, and a decrease of 2 minutes, 35 seconds compared with the first four months of FY 1996, the year before the merger of EMS and the Fire Department.

FDNY average response time to structural fires was 4:14 during the reporting period, a decrease of 6 seconds, or 2 percent, compared with 4:20 during the first four months of FY 2000. Average response time to nonstructural fires was 4:40 during the first four months of FY 2001, a decrease of 17 seconds, or 6 percent compared, in the first four months of FY 2000. The last three calendar years (1998-2000) represent the lowest average of civilian fire fatalities for any three calendar year period since 1946, when modern reporting methods were introduced.

EDUCATION

As of October 2000, 1,073,111 students were enrolled in the City's public school system, compared to 1,075,364 students enrolled in the prior school year. These figures do not include students enrolled in the Universal Pre-Kindergarten program; enrollment in this program increased from 24,948 in the 1999-2000 school year to approximately 35,000 for the 2000-2001 school year.

The School Construction Authority (SCA) has built 54 new schools for New York City since FY 1991. In conjunction with the Board of Education, SCA created 14,250 school seats between October 1999 and September 2000. Between October 2000 and September 2001, SCA and the Board plan to create approximately 4,400 new seats through the construction of new schools, additions, and modernization throughout the City. From October 2000 through January 2001, 446 seats were created.

As stated in the Mayor's 2001 State of the City Address, SCA will accelerate its schedule for the construction of 12 new school facilities. These will include seven new buildings and five new additions, 11 of which are in Queens, and one in the Bronx.

In the City's recently released Financial Plan for FY 2001-2005, the Mayor proposed a capital commitment to the Board of $7.1 billion. In its $7 billion Five-Year Capital Plan for FY 2000-2004, adopted by the Board in May 1999, the Board, in conjunction with SCA, plans to create 32,953 seats citywide by FY 2004.

As of October 2000, the Board employed 79,924 teachers, the highest number ever, compared to 65,548 in October 1995. This includes 7,177 new teachers who were hired by the Board as of October 2000 for the new school year. The Board expects to hire an additional 2,000 new teachers by the end of the 2000-2001 school year.

In collaboration with the Mayor, beginning in February 2001, the Board will establish for the first time a program of weekend instruction that will offer intensive science instruction to more than 45,000 grade 8 and high school students. The Board will also establish an after-school and weekend high- intensity English instruction program for more than 45,000 English Language Learners who have been in Bilingual/English as a Second Language programs for three or more years, or who are making insufficient progress toward English proficiency.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

In June 2000 the Mayor announced HealthStat, a comprehensive citywide initiative to provide uninsured New Yorkers with access to public health insurance programs. Under the direction of the Mayor's Office of Health Insurance Access (MOHIA), all City agencies, hundreds of community groups and many faith-based organizations have been mobilized to identify, educate and enroll eligible families and children in Child Health Plus and Medicaid. Since its inception, HealthStat has made contact with more than 4 million families, through mailings, phone calls, and personal encounters; referred over 70,000 families who expressed an interest in Child Health Plus to enrollees; and enrolled more than 74,000 children through actions directly attributable to HealthStat. HealthStat is now generating approximately 5,000 referrals to enrollees each week.

One of the Giuliani Administration's highest priorities has been to help New Yorkers move from dependency to self-sufficiency. The City's welfare rolls are at their lowest level since November 1966 and have been cut by 53.7 percent since 1995, falling from a high of almost 1.2 million people in March 1995 to 537,841 in December 2000. A total of 132,954 job placements were reported at the end of CY 2000, exceeding the Human Resources Administration's CY 2000 goal of 100,000 placements. This is 98 percent increase over the 67,000 reported job placements in CY 1999.

Reported AIDS cases decreased to 5,899 in CY 2000, compared to 6,252 in CY 1999. Reports of new AIDS cases decreased 61 percent from CY 1993 to 2000. Deaths from HIV/AIDS have decreased to 1,778 in CY 2000, compared to 2,020 in 1999, and a high of 7,102 in 1994.

New cases of tuberculosis have decreased to 1,129 in CY 2000, compared to 1,460 in 1999. The number of tuberculosis cases declined by 70 percent from CY 1992 to 2000. New lead poisoning cases decreased to 818 in CY 2000, compared to 894 in 1999, despite a 9 percent increase in the reported number of children tested. The number of reported rodent bites decreased to 167 in CY 2000, compared to 172 in CY 1999.

Comparing July to October 1992 to the same period in 2000, the average City hospital stay has been reduced by 24 percent -- from 15.4 to 11.7 days. The average waiting time for mammography screening appointments has fallen from 15 days during July to September 1995, to 4 days during the same period of 2000, while the number of visits has increased from 15,751 in 1995 to 18,389 in 2000.

The City's foster care population was 31,008 in CY 2000 -- the lowest level since December 1988. Reports of child abuse and neglect transmitted to the Administration for Children's Services (ACS) increased slightly from 53,953 in CY 1999 to 55,057 in CY 2000. ACS child support collections increased to $422.4 million in CY 2000, compared to $372.8 million in CY 1999.

TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION

In FY 2001 the Department of Transportation (DOT) continued to implement traffic engineering measures that have significantly improved pedestrian and motorist safety and mobility. In October 2000 DOT received the American Automobile Association's (AAA) highest accolade, the Platinum Award, for community traffic safety programs. The award recognizes DOT's outstanding efforts in successfully addressing local traffic safety issues through education, engineering and enforcement. In October 2000, the American Automobile Association also presented DOT with the Best Practices Award for its Youth Educating for Safety program and an Outstanding Achievement Award for its Traffic Safety program.

An important indicator of traffic safety is the number of traffic fatalities. According to DOT preliminary figures were 366 traffic fatalities during CY 2000, a 13 percent decrease from CY 1999 and a slight decrease from CY 1998. There were 176 pedestrian fatalities in CY 2000, a 13 percent decrease from CY 1999 and a 4 percent decrease from CY 1998.

By emphasizing timely attention to traffic signs, signals and other issues affecting traffic safety, DOT works to increase citizen confidence and to protect motorists and pedestrians. DOT installed 198 traffic signals during CY 2000, compared to 184 signals installed during CY 1999. DOT installed 99.4 percent of new signals within six months of approval during CY 2000, surpassing its goal of 95 percent. The Department completed 71 percent of pothole repairs within 30 days in CY 2000, compared to 58 percent in CY 1999 and 25 percent during the last six months of FY 1998. Through its Red Light Camera Program, DOT automatically photographs and issues notices of liability to vehicles that pass through a red light. The Department issued 217,664 notices of liability in CY 2000, compared to 190,487 in CY 1999.

SANITATION, PARKS AND HOUSING

The Department of Sanitation (DOS) continues to maintain average street cleanliness at much higher levels than were seen prior to FY 1994. All 59 Sanitation Districts were rated acceptably clean during the first six months of FY 2001, compared to 32 of the 59 Districts in the first six months of FY 1994. None of the 230 Sanitation Sections were rated dirty during the first six months of FY 2001. Through the Mayor's Office of Operations Scorecard system of street cleanliness ratings, the City's streets were rated 86.8 percent acceptably clean for the average of the first six months of FY 2001, compared to 89.4 percent during the same period in FY 2000.

In CY 2000 DOS's curbside and containerized residential recycling rate was 20 percent. This represents a 50 percent increase from the CY 1994 rate. During the first half of FY 2001 DOS continued to work toward closing the Fresh Kills Landfill by the end of CY 2001, with an anticipated closure date of June 30, 2001, through the continued implementation of the Interim Export Program. Beginning this week, DOS began exporting refuse from Queens, the final portion of Phase IV of the Interim Export Program.

In the first six months of FY 2001, 87 percent of the City's inspected small parks were rated acceptable for Overall Conditions under the Department of Parks and Recreation's (DPR) Parks Inspection Program, compared to 89 percent during FY 2000 and 39 percent in FY 1995. In addition, 93 percent of inspected small parks were rated acceptable for Cleanliness during the six-month period, compared to 96 percent in the last fiscal year and 77 percent in FY 1995.

From FY 1994 through December 2000, 1,980.37 acres were converted into parkland, increasing the City's total parkland to 28,308.78 acres.

From December 1994 to December 2000, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development has reduced the number of in rem housing units by 59 percent. Units that have passed into private ownership during this period now provide approximately $8 million annually to the City in tax revenue.

TECHNOLOGY

During the reporting period, the New York City Office of New Media (ONM), working with Communications Liaisons in 80 Mayoral agencies and offices, continued to break new ground in providing the public with electronic access to City government by further developing NYC.gov, the City's official Web site. The number of NYC.govpage views by visitors during CY 2000 reached 41,568,925, a 71 percent increase compared to CY 1999. A growing number of NYC.gov's new features are interactive, enabling the public to submit applications and receive information on line. New NYC.govservices include: the Department of Health's rodent complaint form; the Department of Finance's Parking Ticket Hearings by Web; the Taxi & Limousine Commission's form to facilitate the recovery of lost property; and DOT's form for ordering Traffic Safety Educational Materials.

The City is making increasing use of the Internet to make the MMR publicly available. Selected statistical charts presented by Mayor Giuliani in conjunction with the MMR's release will be posted on NYC.gov.


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