Bill de Blasio makes plea for bailout amid coronavirus crisis
New York City projected to lose $7.4 billion in tax revenue; Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks out.
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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told "Bill Hemmer Reports" Thursday that the federal government must step in to make up a projected shortfall of more than $7 billion brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
"Right now I've accounted for, and I'm very sorry to say this, $7.5 billion in lost revenue that we now know is going to hit this city," de Blasio told host Bill Hemmer. "We are one of the capitals of this country in terms of economic power and economic impact, and you know all that we do to help the American economy be strong, but we are not going to be able provide basic services in this city because we've got nowhere else to turn to get that kind of money."
THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK, STATE-BY-STATE
De Blasio added that he was grateful for the help provided by the federal government, but said that much more was called for.
"They gave $58 billion to the airline industry," de Blasio claimed, "and here's the nation's largest city just trying to get by, the epicenter of the crisis."
The mayor also addressed when it would be appropriate to reopen the city's economy.
"The hope, Bill, is getting it right," de Blasio said. "But here's what I said to President Trump and Vice President Pence. I said, 'Look, we need to get it right. You got one chance to get it right.'"
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De Blasio told Hemmer that July and August were the months where "we have to begin to get back to normal."
"Between now and then, we have to drive the disease down to the point [where] it is truly contained [and] we have very few cases anymore," de Blasio said. "That's what I think is going to tell us that we are truly back to normal."
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