{"id":2620,"date":"2024-05-22T14:25:58","date_gmt":"2024-05-22T18:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/press\/?p=2620"},"modified":"2024-05-22T14:25:58","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T18:25:58","slug":"nyc-council-calls-for-budget-restorations-and-investments-in-programs-that-address-new-yorkers-biggest-challenges-at-final-executive-budget-hearing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/press\/2024\/05\/22\/2620\/","title":{"rendered":"NYC Council Calls for Budget Restorations and Investments in Programs that Address New Yorkers\u2019 Biggest Challenges at Final Executive Budget Hearing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mayor\u2019s FY25 Executive Budget failed to adequately restore cuts and fund cultural institutions, early childhood education, housing, libraries, public schools, safety and mental health solutions, senior services, and more<\/em><\/p>\n

City Hall, NY<\/strong> \u2013 At today\u2019s City Council\u2019s Executive Budget hearing held by the Committee on Finance, the Council continued to call for the restoration of cuts and investments into vital services for New Yorkers. These include cultural institutions and libraries that have faced repeated cuts over the current and next fiscal year, early childhood education and student support programs, housing, mental healthcare, programs that improve safety and reduce recidivism, parks, senior services, and more. Just the day before, the Council released its May 2024 Economic and Tax Revenue Forecast<\/a> with consistent revenue projections that continue to outpace those of the Mayor\u2019s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) by $1.1 billion for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025. The updated forecast provides clarity that the City can restore cuts to protect essential services and invest in the needs of New Yorkers.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo support working families and create a safer, healthier, and more equitable city, our city\u2019s budget must protect essential services that New Yorkers depend on to succeed,\u201d said Speaker Adrienne Adams<\/strong>. \u201cThe Council has championed investments in early childhood education and educational programs, affordable housing, proven mental health solutions, programs to reduce recidivism, cultural institutions, libraries, parks, senior services, and other critical resources that support our diverse communities. Throughout our Executive Budget hearings, we heard repeatedly from New Yorkers who testified that the Mayor\u2019s proposed budget fails to adequately invest in the programs they rely on. As we move forward in this year\u2019s budget process, the Council will continue to prioritize what our communities and all New Yorkers need to thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s one takeaway from our citywide budget priorities this year, it\u2019s this: our Council believes deeply that, using the resources we take in, our city can and should be a force for good,\u201d said Council Member Justin Brannan, Chair of the Committee on Finance<\/strong>. \u201cNo number of unnecessary threats of budget cuts or artificially deflated economic forecasts can change our basic responsibility to keep our neighborhoods safe, our streets clean, and our people healthy and thriving. We have the resources and the ability to deliver some of the greatest municipal services in the world. I\u2019m proud to stand with a Council that also has the will.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Council\u2019s funding priorities that were outlined in its Preliminary Budget Response,<\/a> but left out of the Mayor\u2019s Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget<\/a> include:<\/p>\n