“Our city’s workforce carried us through the pandemic and led us forward to a better and safer environment, with over 96 percent receiving the full COVID vaccination. As the mayoral administration announced the end of the vaccine mandate for municipal employees, we must be clear that vaccines are safe, effective, and save lives. Since November 2021, the vaccine mandate has made it possible for us to protect ourselves and others from severe illness and helped curb the spread of COVID-19.
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Council also passed building accessibility and homeless shelter measures, resolutions urging recognition of Lunar New Year as official holiday
City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council passed a package of bills focused on addressing pay disparities across the municipal workforce. The package would provide key data and analysis on inequity (particularly across race and gender) among City employees and enact practices that help confront occupation segregation and promote workforce diversity and pay equity.
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“Governor Hochul’s FY24 Executive Budget proposal lays out encouraging investments in housing, education, and healthcare that are critical to New York’s recovery and success. The inclusion of significant funding for our city to provide services for people seeking asylum in our country is desperately needed and appreciated. We look forward to further examining Governor Hochul’s proposed budget and working with her Administration and the State Legislature on key shared priorities, including housing, mental health, and community safety.”
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“Tyre Nichols was a loving father to his young son, an avid photographer and skateboarder, and a valued member of his community. Our thoughts go out to the family and loved ones of Tyre Nichols, who have been shrouded in grief over these last few weeks. As a mother and grandmother, my heart aches for Tyre’s mother, RowVaughn Wells, and entire family as they mourn.
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“Mayor Adams’ focus on jobs, safety, housing, and care offers many proposals that align with the Council’s priorities to create a safer, healthier, and more equitable city. A strong city government and workforce, supported through our city budget, is essential to the goals that New Yorkers need us to fulfill.
“As we seek to address a dire housing crisis, it is imperative that we advance comprehensive neighborhood planning that helps us build more affordable housing for New Yorkers at an increased pace with equity.
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“The Fair Student Funding (FSF) formula has long been in need of reform to better support our students and school communities. Today’s announcement that the Department of Education will adopt key recommendations from the Working Group to provide greater funding for students living in temporary housing, as well as to schools with the greatest number of students with disabilities, specialized academic needs, and living in poverty is a welcome step.
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“The Department of Education has made the right decision to withdraw its proposal to co-locate new Success Academy charter elementary schools within school buildings in Southeast Queens, including Building Q072 in School District 28. The Southeast Queens community united in opposition to the co-location plans, which would have impeded the academic progress of our students.
“Placing an additional charter school in Q072 would have undermined access to the shared facilities, including the gymnasium, cafeteria, bathrooms, and outdoor recreational space, for the existing schools.
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Legislation also passed to require SuperPAC spending disclosures, help students with disabilities obtain accommodations at higher education institutions, and increase services for older adults
City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council voted on the “Skip the Stuff” legislation to decrease plastic waste in New York City. The legislationwould prohibit restaurants, third-party food delivery services, and courier services from providing eating utensils, napkins, condiment packets, and extra food and beverage containers to customers with their take-out and delivery orders, unless specifically requested.
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“As our city continues to recover from the pandemic, we must prioritize smart investments that maintain essential services to keep all New Yorkers healthy and safe. We also must prioritize solutions to the staffing challenges that have hindered city agencies in delivering key services to New Yorkers, such as housing and food assistance. To that end, many of our concerns with the Mayor’s November Plan remain with the Fiscal Year 2024 Preliminary Budget.
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“The budget vision put forward by the Administration to cut funding for CUNY, libraries, social services, early childhood education, and other essential services for New Yorkers is one this Council cannot support. The city is facing multiple crises that require smart investments, and the approach in the November Plan only undermines the health, safety, and recovery of our city. We also reject the false choice in this budget modification of having to choose between cuts to city agencies or cuts to non-profit organizations providing services on the frontlines in our communities to underserved and vulnerable New Yorkers.
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