“I feel it is important to remind Director Jiha that the Council’s charter-mandated responsibility is to hold the Administration accountable, and that means examining and questioning their assertions and numbers. It’s not personal, it’s our job. The Council is not a rubber stamp, nor is this a monarchy. Rather, we are a co-equal branch of city government, and we will not respond to arrogance and tolerate disrespect.
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City Hall, NY – Today, Speaker Adrienne Adams and the New York City Council announced the winning proposals of the 2022-2023 Participatory Budgeting cycle. During the voting period, which took place from March 25th until April 2nd, more than 60,000 New Yorkers voted to allocate nearly $32 million in capital funding for local improvements to schools, parks, libraries and other public spaces across 29 Council Districts in New York City.
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The elimination of the 90-day shelter rule, among other bills, will make it easier for individuals and families to enroll in the CityFHEPS program
Council also votes on bills providing transportation safety protections for students with disabilities; establishing technology access and training programs; requiring coordination of summer youth employment program opportunities; making the Open Culture Program permanent;
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“The Administration’s troubling application, which appears to pursue an elimination of more than 40 years of legal protections for our city’s most vulnerable, leaves in question whether New Yorkers will be left to sleep on our streets, parks, roadway shoulder exits, and subways. It’s beyond disturbing that so much effort is being spent on rolling back protections for all New Yorkers, instead of implementing immediate and long-term solutions that can help us avoid and move out of shelters.
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Latest analysis projects $1.8 billion more in revenues than OMB’s FY ‘23 and ‘24 estimates in Executive Budget, and stronger outyear revenues outpace OMB forecast
City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council unveiled its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Executive Budget Economic and Tax Forecast, with key findings on the national and local economies, as well as tax revenue projections.
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“People seeking asylum in our country, who are now in our city, have made abundantly clear that they want to work to achieve stability and economic independence. The federal government should remove barriers to facilitate these opportunities that can also help crucial businesses close gaps in their workforce that have been undermining. The Council has repeatedly reiterated the need for expedited federal work authorization for asylum seekers to our federal partners since last fall, and once again urge immediate action to echo the Governor and Mayor’s calls.”
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“Our city’s public transit system is key to helping New Yorkers meet their basic obligations and succeed, but far too many people are struggling to consistently afford the fare. That’s why we called for expanding Fair Fares’ eligibility criteria to include New Yorkers at 200% of the federal poverty level, which will help up to 1.7 million riders access our subways and buses.
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“I am saddened by the loss of my former colleague, Council Member and State Senator Bill Perkins. A native son of Harlem, Bill served his community for decades as a dedicated and hard-working public servant. He fought tirelessly to improve the health of our communities by tackling lead poisoning, advocated for more equitable education funding, and championed equal rights for all New Yorkers.
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“It is critical that there be accountability for the killing of Jordan Neely. He should be alive, and the violence that killed him is never an appropriate response. Disparities in how people are treated by the criminal justice system, especially Black people and other people of color, are a reality that our city and this nation must acknowledge and confront.
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Council also passed legislation to ban discrimination based on a person’s height and weight, and packages of housing and education bills
City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council approved legislation to establish population review programs that determine whether people detained in city jails can have their cases resolved or be released into community programs to reduce unnecessary incarceration that inflate the city’s jail population.
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