State Senator Gustavo Rivera released the following statement after voting against the State Senate One House Budget Resolution.
"The Senate One House Budget Resolution makes it clear that the Republican majority is comfortable blocking New York's progress. It outright guts and dismisses common sense measures that have proven to foster a more equitable and thriving society, whether we are talking about the DREAM Act, true bail reform, early voting, or the Child Victims Act.
This budget proposal focuses on cutting or withholding funding from those New Yorkers who are most in need. It underfunds programs that help low-income students pursue a higher education, like the College Discovery Program, which will not only hurt our youth's access to education, but the future of our workforce. As New York City faces an affordable housing crisis, including a half million public housing residents living within crumbling infrastructure, this version of the budget fails to provide any capital funds to address NYCHA's most pressing problems and works to defund programs aimed at protecting tenants from unnecessary harassment and overcharges. It targets funds that go to help needy children in foster programs and refuses to provide New Yorkers upstate who are living with HIV/AIDS rental assistance so they can get the care they need. Additionally, those who serve these vulnerable populations are denied a Cost of Living Adjustment, so that, under the guise of saving the state money, our human service agencies and caretakers are forced to cut critical services.
We need a budget that works to build a better state and future for all New Yorkers in every district and I am committed to continue fighting for a budget that truly addresses the issues we face throughout our state."
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