Photos: YouTube Screeenshots
NEW YORK – In response to a final vote on the New York City FY2025 budget, The People’s Plan released the following statement from Director Zara Nasir:
“This year’s budget stops far short of reversing the Mayor’s multiple rounds of cuts, which have decimated core City services and harmed millions of New Yorkers who need and rely on the social safety net and public education, birth to CUNY, to make ends meet and help make our economy thrive. Mayor Adams pushed through many cuts to foundational services and programs, like CUNY (-$80M), universal childcare (-$150M), parks, and senior services, while favoring a $225M cop city that will further criminalize New Yorkers.
The Mayor’s last-minute reversals don’t fool us. Funding cuts for libraries and other key programs should never have happened, and the Mayor deserves no credit for such a cynical tactic. We must ensure future budgets won’t be dictated by revenue underestimations and budget games.
We applaud the City Councilmembers who stood by their principles and voted no on this budget, as well as those who used their votes as leverage to counteract the worst cuts. They, like us, know we need a budget that invests in our communities, not one that strips them of essential services. Their votes should be celebrated.
With our allies in the City Council, we were able to claw back part of the funding for core programs and services. This includes:
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#HomesNow: $70M funded out of $500M a year of new investments in housing programs, e.g. Neighborhood Pillars at $15M and the Open Door at $55M a year
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Key education programs: $600M+ mostly restored (programs like restorative justice, mental health continuum, community school, school support workers, summer and afterschool programming, and college preparatory programs)
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CUNY operating funds: $15M restored out of $94M, with most cuts remaining
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Childcare and early education: $120M partially restored or invested in out of $365M (including investments in Promise NYC, special education preschool, and extended full day early education seats, and advertising and outreach)
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Libraries: $53.3M fully restored to reopen weekend service
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Fair Fares: $11M to extend free and reduced price MetroCards to more New Yorkers
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HIV/AIDS services: $5.3M fully restored for the Undetectables integrated care program
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Community Composting Program: $6.245M fully restored
This year’s budget cycle may be over, but there’s still more work to be done. In the next budget cycle, the City Council must begin looking at other options to push back on the Mayor, who has proven that he is unwilling to be a good partner in negotiations. There are many more tools the Council can use to rein in and override the Mayor during the budget process, including passing amendments and alternative budgets. It’s time to open the toolbox. Our coalition will continue to fight for a People’s Budget with care, not cuts.”
