Council continues calls for housing investments and funding to combat homelessness, expanded support for early childhood education and schools, mental health services, and more
City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council released its budget priorities for the State’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget in a final push as the April 1 deadline for the adopted state budget approaches. Among the Council’s priorities are investments to address New York’s housing and affordability crisis, provide greater support for early childhood education and students’ recovery from historic pandemic-era learning loss, advance mental health interventions within public safety systems, and expand aid for the City’s asylum seeker response. The Council also calls for greater local control over tax expenditures and access to data to evaluate the effectiveness of tax breaks.
The Council’s State Budget Priorities for State Fiscal Year 2025 report can be found here.
“New York City is an economic engine for our state, and strong investments from the state budget are essential to ensure our city is affordable and healthy,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “The Council’s state budget priorities match what our city needs to meet this critical moment and solve challenges. The inclusion of housing investments and policies within the state budget are pivotal to New York City’s ability to confront the affordability and housing crises. Greater funding for our schools and early childhood education are required to help our working- and middle-class families remain and succeed in New York, and to support our students’ recovery from historic learning losses. Proven mental health interventions are key to interrupting the cycles of harm and recidivism that leave all New Yorkers less healthy and safe. With so much at stake, we all must work together to make the crucial investments New Yorkers deserve. We look forward to working with our state partners to achieve this outcome in the state budget.”
“The State and City share the goal of improving the lives of all New Yorkers. In order to act on that shared mission and partnership, the State budget needs to deliver its fair share and support New York City in crucial areas, including education and housing,” said Council Member Justin Brannan, Chair of the Committee on Finance. “Doubling down on investments and incentives to spur a new wave of truly affordable housing construction, alongside tenant protections, will help light the path out of our grim housing crisis. Additional state funding towards education and meeting the needs of our students, from Pre-K to college, are desperately needed as federal stimulus funds finally expire. As the City of New York continues moving towards these objectives while managing our own budget challenges, we will require more say over our tax expenditures and cost-shifts towards the City. The road ahead may be long and winding, but we are confident the state budget can meet this moment to the benefit of all New Yorkers from Brooklyn to Buffalo.”
“While the city’s economy has been resilient and our fiscal health is on a positive path, we have real challenges that require state support in this budget,” said Council Member Lincoln Restler, Chair of the Committee on Governmental Operations, State & Federal Legislation. “Too many New Yorkers facing mental health challenges and experiencing homelessness cycle through the justice system without receiving the help they need. Targeted investments into mental health courts, supportive housing, specialized outreach teams, and treatment programs are critical to divert people to the solutions they need, reduce recidivism, and improve public safety. The City also deserves greater say and more data on ineffective tax breaks that no longer serve their purpose and cost-shifts that impact the economic health of our city. We look forward to continuing our work with our state partners to support the health and safety of New Yorkers.”
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