Friday, November 17, 2023

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE'S STATEMENT ON FY24 BUDGET MODIFICATIONS

 

"Yesterday, the mayor celebrated an increase in public school enrollment, driven primarily by the migrant families who have come to our city seeking asylum, as a sign that ‘New York is back.’ Today, he released a budget that slashes public education funding, along with services throughout the city, and cast blame on the arrival of those same families, justifying cuts that will harm all New Yorkers by pointing to the most vulnerable. This repeated strategy by the administration pits the New Yorkers who have less against new New Yorkers who have least, and it is irresponsible messaging and governance. 

"Every time the city has faced a challenge in the last two years, the answer from the administration has been to cut. Blaming fiscal woes solely on the asylum crisis, even though, truthfully, has absolutely impacted our budget, it only explains a portion of a shortfall we've anticipated long before the first bus arrived. These cuts aren’t abstract, and do real harm to our systems of government and New Yorkers relying on those services. While there is a clear and urgent need for additional funding and resources from the state and federal government, the mayor should come to the table with a scalpel instead of cuts across the board. He should also reconsider the administration's annual opposition to supporting common sense revenue raising options that ensure the city can continue to uphold its fiscal responsibility and moral responsibility at the same time."

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