#budget
#budget

Europe news

How Germany fudges the math on NATO and Ukraine DW 01/20/2024

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is popular despite scaled-back plans for military reform.

Germany will barely meet NATO's spending target for its armed forces in the 2024 budget. [ more ]

New York Post

Mayor Adams' new budget sets NYC (and him) up for big trouble in Summer 2025

Mayor Eric Adams presented a budget that increases next summer's deficit despite claiming strong fiscal management. [ more ]

www.cbc.ca

Canada news

Mayor Chow to drop proposed Toronto property tax rate hike to 9.5% | CBC News

Mayor Olivia Chow will recommend a property tax increase of 9.5%, lower than the city staff proposal of 10.5%

Chow's goal is to balance investing in city services and addressing Toronto's $1.8-billion deficit [ more ]

Documented

NYC Will Cut Costs of NYC Migrant Services by 20% - Documented

The Mayor's budget director plans to reduce migrant-related costs by 20%, including cutting down shelter stays and stopping the opening of new sites.

Council members push back on the claim that the city's deficit is solely caused by increased costs from the asylum seeker response. [ more ]

moredeficit

BKReader

3 weeks ago

Albany Approves $237 Billion State Budget

New York State finalizes $237 billion budget for fiscal year 2025, focusing on housing, asylum seekers, and cracking down on illegal cannabis stores. [ more ]

city-council

Ny1

Brooklyn councilman challenges Adams' budget proposal

The City Council finance committee head points out $6 billion in unaccounted revenue

COVID-19 recovery has resulted in a strong NYC economy [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Adams vs. Adams: New York's Top Democrats Clash on City's Path

City Council speaker Adrienne Adams has emerged as a critic of Mayor Eric Adams, leading the Council in overriding his vetoes of two bills.

Adams has questioned the mayor's management of the budget and criticized his approach to handling migrants, prompting the Council to pass bills against his objections. [ more ]

New York Post

NYC Council, Adams administration battle it out over Big Apple's budget

The city administration and lawmakers in New York City are clashing over the city's budget, with officials claiming the migrant crisis has strained finances while some council members argue that tax revenue is higher than reported.

During an oversight hearing, City Budget Director Jacques Jiha defended the administration's cuts, stating they were necessary due to the cost of housing asylum seekers, while the Council disputed the need for the cuts and suggested the city would collect more taxes than projected. [ more ]

morecity-council

tax-cuts

www.independent.co.uk

Jeremy Hunt cuts National Insurance by 2p in tax boost for workers

Jeremy Hunt announces 2% national insurance cut, aiming to attract voters.

Tax cuts projected to save workers 900 annually, but criticized for increasing taxes as GDP share rises. [ more ]

www.independent.co.uk

All the things missed out of Jeremy Hunt's spring Budget

Jeremy Hunt's budget included a 2p cut in national insurance contributions, but key measures like cutting income tax, scrapping the tourist tax, and business rates reform were notably absent. [ more ]

www.independent.co.uk

Will the UK get tax cuts in Jeremy Hunt's 2024 spring Budget?

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt may announce a 2p reduction in National Insurance contributions in the upcoming Budget.

Reports suggest funding for the tax cuts may come from a combination of other tax rises and spending cuts. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

UK politics

The Guardian view on budget tax cuts: stealing from the public | Editorial

Conservative MPs and rightwing media push for tax cuts without learning from past mistakes.

Calls for tax cuts before the budget are criticized as reckless and unjust. [ more ]

BBC News

UK politics

Laura Kuenssberg: When will politicians make their minds up on key plans?

Conservatives considering tax cuts have changed their tune and are now hesitant due to tight finances.

Labour is reconsidering their pledge to invest in green projects after dismissing it as nonsense. [ more ]

www.independent.co.uk

Jeremy Hunt hints at more tax cuts before general election

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt signals desire to cut taxes in upcoming Budget

Tories face low poll ratings and are looking for measures to win votes [ more ]

moretax-cuts

Ny1

Adams highlights 'people, public spaces and public safety' in budget

Mayor Eric Adams has proposed a $109.4 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2025.

The budget includes measures such as a hiring freeze and the Program to Eliminate the Gap to reduce expenditures. [ more ]

City Limits

Mayor Touts Latest-Lower-Cost Estimate For Sheltering New Immigrant Arrivals

New York City expects to care for 80,000 migrants by June and 90,000 by the end of the year, instead of the projected 100,000 migrants by mid-2024.

Strict limits on immigrant shelter stays and efforts to move immigrants to locations outside the city have helped reduce the estimated number of migrants in the city's care. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Adams Unveils $109 Billion Budget With Fewer Cuts Than He Had Predicted

New York City Mayor Eric Adams proposed a $109 billion budget that is more optimistic than previously anticipated.

The city has cut the cost of housing and feeding migrants, and expects to receive additional state funding to help with the migrant influx. [ more ]

POLITICO

Adams softens budget cuts amid better-than-expected revenue

The city of New York has seen a significant increase in revenue projections, exceeding expectations by nearly $3 billion.

Mayor Eric Adams is projecting a 20% reduction in costs for migrant services, thanks to new initiatives aimed at limiting asylum seeker stays. [ more ]

Times Union

No tax increases as Hochul set to unveil $233B budget proposal

Gov. Kathy Hochul is releasing a $233 billion executive budget that includes $2 billion for the migrant crisis.

The budget proposal will not increase personal income or business taxes, but will rely on revenue forecasts and reductions in Medicaid. [ more ]

migrant-crisis

www.nytimes.com

Adams Unveils $109 Billion Budget With Fewer Cuts Than He Had Predicted

New York City Mayor Eric Adams proposed a $109 billion budget that is more optimistic than previously anticipated.

The city has cut the cost of housing and feeding migrants, and expects to receive additional state funding to help with the migrant influx. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Adams Unveils $109 Billion Budget With Fewer Cuts Than He Had Predicted

New York City Mayor Eric Adams proposed a $109 billion budget that is more optimistic than previously anticipated.

The city has cut the cost of housing and feeding migrants, and expects to receive additional state funding to help with the migrant influx. [ more ]

New York Post

Mayor Adams 'good news' budget draft gives the Big Apple hope

Mayor Adams' preliminary budget for fiscal year 2025 is unexpectedly positive.

The budget spares key agencies, reduces impact of the migrant crisis, and includes additional aid from the governor. [ more ]

www.amny.com

Hochul proposes $2.4 billion to deal with migrant crisis in new budget vision | amNewYork

Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing a $233 billion budget for the next fiscal year in New York State, including $2.4 billion for the ongoing migrant crisis in New York City.

The funds will be used for housing, job placements, and legal services for new arrivals. [ more ]

New York Post

NYC to get $2.4B for migrant crisis in Hochul's record-breaking state budget

Governor Hochul unveiled a $233 billion budget for the next fiscal year, including $500 million for NYC's migrant crisis.

The budget includes funding for various initiatives, such as retail theft prevention, flood resiliency, and campaign financing.

No tax increases are proposed. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Migrant Costs Help Push New York State's Budget to $233 Billion

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York is set to unveil a $233 billion budget that includes $1.9 billion to help New York City manage its migrant crisis.

The budget will include at least $1 billion for New York City's migrant shelter costs and will help pay for case management, medical and legal bills, and services to connect individuals with jobs.

Despite a projected $4.3 billion budget gap, the state's commitment to funding for migrant shelters speaks to the political urgency of the crisis for Democrats in a presidential election year. [ more ]

POLITICO

German budget crisis: Government reaches spending deal for 2024

Germany's three-party ruling coalition has reached a new spending plan for next year after weeks of tense negotiations

The deal comes after a constitutional court ruling created a â¬17 billion financial gap for the 2024 budget [ more ]

POLITICO

German budget crisis: Government reaches spending deal for 2024

Germany's three-party ruling coalition has reached a new spending plan for next year after weeks of tense negotiations

The deal comes after a constitutional court ruling created a â¬17 billion financial gap for the 2024 budget [ more ]

moregermany

www.amny.com

1 week ago

Education

UFT to DOE: Reduce public school class sizes by September

Smaller class sizes are achievable in NYC public schools, according to the United Federation of Teachers. [ more ]

London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

Education

Mayor to continue funding groundbreaking universal free school meals policy next academic year

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, plans to continue funding free school meals for London's state primary schoolchildren next academic year.

The proposal to spend £140m in the 2024/25 budget will extend the current programme that provides meals to up to 287,000 children each day. [ more ]

www.independent.co.uk

2 weeks ago

London

What does the London mayor and London assembly do?

The Mayor of London holds significant power with a large budget and a focus on improving the city's economic and social development. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

London

We're stuffed': have Conservatives given up on winning the next general election?

Government facing energy depletion towards end of term

Conservative party members resigning in anticipation of potential defeat [ more ]

ianVisits

London

TfL faces financial crunch as Government leaves 250 million hole in maintenance budget

Transport for London (TfL) is reviewing its business plan after the government left a Â£250 million hole in its annual maintenance budget.

TfL is considering options such as borrowing or cutting services to cover the funding gap. [ more ]

www.90min.com

3 weeks ago

Chelsea

Mikel Arteta reveals strong thoughts on Todd Boehly's Chelsea project

Mikel Arteta believes in Todd Boehly's potential to bring success to Chelsea despite recent struggles and emphasizes the importance of a big budget for competitive advantage. [ more ]

www.aljazeera.com

4 weeks ago

Canada news

Canada's Trudeau government asks rich to pay more in pitch to Gen Z

Canada proposes higher capital gains taxes and increased spending on education, housing, jobs, and mental health services to address key issues and gain voter support. [ more ]

www.cbc.ca

Canada news

Ford government will propose auto insurance reforms in Tuesday's budget, sources say | CBC News

Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government to introduce auto insurance reforms in the budget, focusing on giving drivers more options to lower premiums.

Past reforms did not effectively keep auto insurance rates down, leading to the need for new changes to address premium increases. [ more ]

Austin Monitor

Austin

New federal cash paves way for East Austin's 'wishbone' bridge over Lady Bird Lake - Austin Monitor

The city of Austin received a $4 million grant from the federal government to fund a $25 million pedestrian bridge project on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail.

The unique three-pronged bridge will feature a 76-foot-wide plaza with public artwork by Houston artist Dixie Friend Gay and will also involve the replacement of a pedestrian tunnel with a more spacious one. [ more ]

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles

L.A. looks at eliminating up to 2,000 vacant positions as the city's budget outlook worsens

Los Angeles officials plan to eliminate up to 2,000 vacant positions to address the worsening financial situation.

Strategies to balance the city budget include cutting back on consulting work, delaying public projects, and possibly dipping into reserve funds. [ more ]

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles

Budget cuts to Mars Sample Return mission prompt hundreds of layoffs at JPL

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) will lay off 530 employees and 40 additional contractors due to anticipated funding cuts in the next federal budget.

This is the second round of layoffs for JPL this year, following the reduction of on-site contractors in January. [ more ]

Axios

Left-wing politics

Biden's 2025 budget plan includes tax increases for corporations and the wealthy

Biden accuses GOP of favoring pharmaceutical companies

Biden to send budget to Congress with populist economic agenda [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

UK politics

Labour in power faces dire economic inheritance, says Rachel Reeves

Reeves acknowledges time needed for economic turnaround under Labour government

Labour highlights Conservative economic mismanagement [ more ]

London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

Growth hacking

The country needs a Budget for growth not for votes as 'the economy is flatlining'

The UK economy is 10% smaller than it should be, requiring a Budget for growth not votes.

Chancellor faces limited options, needing significant cuts to public spending or tax increases. [ more ]

GSMArena.com

Gadgets

Deals: OnePlus 12 and 12R are now available in the US, Google cuts Pixel prices

The OnePlus 12 series is now available with a free storage upgrade for the flagship OnePlus 12.

The Google Pixel lineup is on sale, with the Pixel 7a offering a budget option and the Pixel 8 being the sweet spot. [ more ]

Wine Enthusiast

Wine

Best Home Bar Cabinets of 2024

When shopping for a bar cabinet for your home, consider factors such as design, size, storage capacity, and materials/durability.

The bar cabinet should complement the overall aesthetic of the room and enhance other furnishings and design elements. [ more ]

Who What Wear

Fashion & style

Instantly Elevate Your Wardrobe With 31 Chic Pieces That Only Look Expensive

It doesn't take a large budget to create a stylish, expensive-looking wardrobe.

Focus on elevated basics that have a timeless and polished presentation. [ more ]

Who What Wear

Fashion & style

The Good Stuff at H&M Sells Fast-You Know What to Do With These Cool Basics

H&M has released a lineup of stylish everyday staples for the New Year.

You can find affordable pieces that can transform your current wardrobe without breaking the bank. [ more ]

Who What Wear

Fashion & style

I Gave Myself 2 Hours to Find Nordstrom's Most Rich-Looking Items-Here They Are

Challenge yourself to find stylish and affordable items while shopping

Discover under-$100 items that look expensive at Nordstrom [ more ]

www.worcesternews.co.uk

Parenting

Tesco's Kids Eat Free offer to return to cafes this half term

Tesco is offering free meals for kids during February half term at all its cafes.

Customers can get a free Kids Hot Meal Deal, Kids Breakfast, or Kids Pick n' Mix deal with every item bought by an adult from as little as 60p. [ more ]

Forbes

Web design

Council Post: 10 Great Website Builders For Businesses On A Shoestring Budget

WordPress is a cost-effective website builder with customizable themes and plugins that cater to a range of business needs.

Squarespace is an intuitive website builder that offers templates and customization options for creating professional websites. [ more ]

www.dw.com

Germany news

German Bundestag approves controversial diesel subsidy cuts DW 02/02/2024

The German Bundestag has approved the rolling back of tax relief for diesel use by the agricultural industry, leading to protests from farmers.

The budget financing law also includes higher air traffic taxes and new rules on financial support for families. [ more ]

The Drum

Marketing

With ad spend up, here's how agencies are preparing for growth

Agencies should gather intel, raise their profile, and target carefully to leverage the positive ad spend outlook.

Various ad industry barometers are showing optimistic signs for the coming year, including budget expansions and increased ad spend in the UK and US. [ more ]

www.ocregister.com

California

Whoops, turns out there is money in California budget for 4th graders to go to state parks

Funding for the California State Park Adventure Pass is included in Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposed budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

$2.1 million is allocated to support the program, allowing all fourth graders in California to access 54 state parks.

The budget does not include funding for the library card program that allows free access to over 200 state parks and beaches. [ more ]

Sacramento Bee

California

Gavin Newsom's California spending plan is overly optimistic, budget analyst says. Here's why

California's independent budget analyst criticizes Gov. Newsom's spending plan for including overly-rosy revenue estimates.

The Legislative Analyst's Office report raises concerns about the sustainability of the proposed budget and calls for more information on its potential effects on the state budget in future years. [ more ]

Mets360

New York Mets

Bargain hunting: Best uses of the Mets' remaining budget

The Mets have a remaining free agent budget of around $10 million for this offseason.

They may be able to sign one upper tier free agent or two lower tier free agents within this budget. [ more ]

New York Post

NYC to get $2.4B for migrant crisis in Hochul's record-breaking state budget

Governor Hochul unveiled a $233 billion budget for the next fiscal year, including $500 million for NYC's migrant crisis.

The budget includes funding for various initiatives, such as retail theft prevention, flood resiliency, and campaign financing.

No tax increases are proposed. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Migrant Costs Help Push New York State's Budget to $233 Billion

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York is set to unveil a $233 billion budget that includes $1.9 billion to help New York City manage its migrant crisis.

The budget will include at least $1 billion for New York City's migrant shelter costs and will help pay for case management, medical and legal bills, and services to connect individuals with jobs.

Digital Photography School

Photography

Buying Used Lenses: 5 Handy Tips to Know

Buying used camera gear can save money for photographers on a budget

Do thorough research on the seller and the product before making a purchase. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Migrant Costs Help Push New York State's Budget to $233 Billion

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York is set to unveil a $233 billion budget that includes $1.9 billion to help New York City manage its migrant crisis.

The budget will include at least $1 billion for New York City's migrant shelter costs and will help pay for case management, medical and legal bills, and services to connect individuals with jobs.

Miami Herald

NYC Mayor Adams' next budget will include more revenue - and more cuts, say experts

New York City has exceeded expectations in tax revenue and cut migrant costs by 20%. Funding previously slashed from city agencies has been restored.

The exact impact of these developments on the city's next budget is still unclear, but it is expected to show an increase in revenue. Mayor Adams will unveil the budget details on Tuesday. [ more ]

www.mercurynews.com

Public health

Latest line: A good week for Joe Simitian, a bad week for health care workers

Santa Clara County supervisor Joe Simitian receives a significant endorsement in the race to succeed congresswoman Anna Eshoo, giving him an advantage over his rivals.

Governor Gavin Newsom's proposed budget includes a delay in the $25 hourly minimum wage for health care workers to help close the state deficit. [ more ]

Independent

Public health

Hospitals to face financial taskmasters in drive to save HSE money and boost efficiency

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is setting up a new taskforce to examine hospital productivity in Ireland.

The taskforce aims to make savings in the health service amid an ongoing budget dispute. [ more ]

Chicago Tribune

Public health

Mayor Brandon Johnson's mental health plan moves forward

The cost of reopening Chicago's city-run mental health clinics is relatively small compared to the city's overall budget.

Mayor Brandon Johnson's decision to restore only two clinics in his first budget has potential political ramifications. [ more ]

www.scientificamerican.com

OMG science

NASA's Troubled Mars Sample Mission Has Scientists Seeing Red

NASA's Mars Sample Return (MSR) initiative, aimed at retrieving samples of the Red Planet for analysis on Earth, is facing challenges due to budget and schedule issues.

The estimated cost of MSR is between $8 billion and $11 billion, exceeding the recommended budget limits, and the project is facing delays and uncertainty about its success. [ more ]

www.cbc.ca

Beer

Ontario craft brewers want faster review of alcohol taxes, warn breweries at risk of closing down | CBC News

Ontario craft brewers are calling for a review of alcohol taxes to prevent the industry from being stifled.

The Ontario Craft Brewers Association wants changes to the tax structure to support the growth of the craft beer industry.

The government has promised a review of alcohol support programs, taxes, and fees, but the brewers want changes in the upcoming budget. [ more ]

www.dw.com

Video games

Retro games: Why pixel graphics won't go out of fashion DW 01/10/2024

Retro games with pixel graphics are experiencing a revival in popularity

Pixel graphics allow for creative games to be produced with a smaller budget [ more ]

www.independent.co.uk

Martin Lewis grills Jeremy Hunt over unfair' child benefit system

Jeremy Hunt acknowledges unfairness in child benefits system

Chancellor Hunt considers changes to child benefit tax charge [ more ]

Entrepreneur

Career

Saving $10,000 in Six Months: A Step-By-Step Guide | Entrepreneur

Saving $10,000 in six months is achievable with effective money management.

To start, identify your financial situation, establish goals, and create a budget. [ more ]

POLITICO

Flood risk in Germany reignites coalition fight over debt rules

Calls to relax debt rules in Germany's ruling coalition due to flood risk

Ruling coalition members disagree on how to deal with floods and provide aid [ more ]

POLITICO

German budget crisis: Government reaches spending deal for 2024

Germany's three-party ruling coalition has reached a new spending plan for next year after weeks of tense negotiations

The deal comes after a constitutional court ruling created a â¬17 billion financial gap for the 2024 budget [ more ]

www.dw.com

Germany's Greens hold intense convention amid budget crisis DW 11/26/2023

The Green Party's convention attracted a record number of visitors, but the atmosphere was unusually quiet.

The Green Party is facing numerous domestic and international crises that require a high level of concentration.

Robert Habeck, Germany's vice chancellor, is dealing with the budget crisis and the Constitutional Court's veto on climate change funding. [ more ]

www.dw.com

Germany's budget woes: A threat to the government? DW 11/21/2023

The German government has implemented a spending freeze for almost the entire 2023 budget due to a landmark ruling by Germany's Constitutional Court.

The ruling stated that the government cannot reallocate funds meant for the COVID-19 pandemic to address climate change, leading to the freeze.

The freeze is a result of the government's need to review the overall budgetary situation and comply with the court's ruling. [ more ]

Boston.com

US politics

Gun restriction bills on tap in Maine Legislature after state's deadliest mass shooting

Lawmakers in Maine are returning to work and their first order of business is to honor victims, survivors, and first responders of the deadliest mass shooting in Maine's history.

The session will include several gun safety proposals, such as potential changes to the state's yellow flag law.

Other items on the agenda include a request for the impeachment of the Secretary of State and consideration of bills regarding Native American sovereignty and the right to an abortion. [ more ]

www.bostonherald.com

Digital life

7 ways to hang on to more money in 2024

By Melissa Lambarena | NerdWallet After the high-spend holidays, it's a good time to take inventory of those 2023 financial decisions the good and the bad.

www.theguardian.com

Leaders race to bring Orban on board as EU summit opens with decision about opening Ukraine accession talks on table Europe live

Lithuania's president believes there is a historical chance to start negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova at the summit.

The European Council will focus on the proposed 50bn for Ukraine and enlargement during the summit. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Why the EU budget summit is a test of European democracy

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban is threatening to derail EU membership talks with Ukraine and block a new 50bn facility to help the country pay its bills.

The EU leaders' summit is crucial for setting priorities for the next three years' budget, but Orban's threats have overshadowed the discussions.

Failing to support Ukraine's enlargement would have devastating consequences for the EU's unity and credibility. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Why the EU budget summit is a test of European democracy

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban is threatening to derail EU membership talks with Ukraine and block a new 50bn facility to help the country pay its bills.

The EU leaders' summit is crucial for setting priorities for the next three years' budget, but Orban's threats have overshadowed the discussions.

Failing to support Ukraine's enlargement would have devastating consequences for the EU's unity and credibility. [ more ]

moreEurope politics

www.theguardian.com

Europe news

Why the EU budget summit is a test of European democracy

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban is threatening to derail EU membership talks with Ukraine and block a new 50bn facility to help the country pay its bills.

The EU leaders' summit is crucial for setting priorities for the next three years' budget, but Orban's threats have overshadowed the discussions.

Failing to support Ukraine's enlargement would have devastating consequences for the EU's unity and credibility. [ more ]

New York Post