When Mayor Bloomberg took over the gleaming waterfront park from the state last year, he promised $55 million to help finish building the long-awaited green space.
But city officials quietly slashed that to $44 million earlier this year. The 20% cut is a blow to plans to build Pier 2, a chunk of the park at John St. and other projects.
The rest of the money could be in danger as well, unless the Bloomberg administration and local politicians can resolve a fight over whether to build more luxury condos in the park.
A new report suggests city officials are sticking with controversial plans to build the condo towers and use their income to pay for the park's upkeep. Local pols could veto that plan, but the city could pull all its promised funding if there's no deal on how to pay for the park's maintenance.
"This funding cut and the results of this report call the city's commitment to completing the park into question," said State Sen. Daniel Squadron (D-Brooklyn Heights), a leading condo foe.
A consultant's report released last week finds the park could raise between $2.4 million and $7million a year - without housing - through new fees, parking and other options.
That's not enough to pay for the park's whopping $16 million annual maintenance budget. Even raising that much money depends on levying a new "park improvement district" fee on local property owners, a plan that lacks political support.
"It seems clear from the final outcome of the report that some residential housing is needed on the site," said Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy executive director Nancy Webster.
Park spokeswoman Ellen Ryan said the funding was slashed as part of a citywide cut in capital money for parks.
"The Bloomberg administration is committed to Brooklyn Bridge Park, as demonstrated by its allocation of over $130 million for park construction to date and the additional commitment of capital funds to build more sections of the park, including active recreational amenities," Ryan said.
"To responsibly allocate those capital funds, however, a plan must be in place to ensure the maintenance of these investments for future generations."
But housing opponents were outraged because the report didn't consider using tax revenues from waterfront Watchtower properties the Jehovah's Witnesses expect to sell. "It's unfortunately a political document rather than an impartial analysis," Squadron said.
The park's board, dominated by Bloomberg appointees, is expected to sign off on the report today.
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