MAYOR ADAMS, CHANCELLOR AVILES RAMOS ANNOUNCE $128 MILLION IN NEW INVESTMENTS TO STABILIZE SCHOOL BUDGETS FOR 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR

 

Investment in All K-12 and District 75 Schools Builds on Mayor Adams’ Commitment to Making New York City Best Place to Raise a Family by Investing in Critical Programs Year-After-Year 

Investment Will Not Penalize Schools for Enrollment Drops in Upcoming School Budget 

Schools Budgets in School Year 2025-2026 Will Increase by Nearly $900 Million to Support Investments  Made Earlier This Year 

Investment Part of Mayor Adams’ “Best Budget Ever”  

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos announced a $128 million investment to ensure no school will receive less funding in the initial allocations for the upcoming school year than they did this past school year, despite any drops in enrollment that may occur. This announcement reaffirms the city’s commitment to maintaining stability in school budgets, and is part of a broader investment in public education outlined in Mayor Eric Adams' 2026 Executive Budget — commonly referred to as the city's "Best Budget Ever" — which includes funding to sustain critical programs, including supporting arts in schools, high-impact tutoring, school safety, funding to shore up early childhood education, universal after-school programming, and more. Additionally, the city will invest to hire 3,700 additional teachers as it provides more tailored, individualized instruction to students. Between these investments and investments made earlier this year, New York City Public Schools’ individual school budgets will see an overall increase of nearly $900 million in the upcoming school year’s initial allocation, ensuring any school that would have otherwise seen budget reductions, will now receive at least the same level of funding as last school year’s initial allocation levels, as adjusted over the course of the year.

“A strong city starts with strong schools, and that’s why we’re committing $128 million to stabilize schools budgets despite enrollment changes — so principals can plan with certainty, and our students can continue to learn, grow, and thrive,” said Mayor Adams. “It takes a city to raise a child, and this investment ensures stability in our school budgets while reaffirming our commitment to the programs that matter most — from NYC Reads and NYC Solves to more individualized care and instruction and more.”

“School budgets are an essential ingredient in ensuring our students are set up for bold futures,” said Public Schools Chancellor Aviles-Ramos. “I’m grateful to Mayor Adams for his support and am thrilled we can continue to hold schools harmless for the 2025-2026 school year. These funds will support our students, staff, and families in these uncertain times and allow each school to provide the resources, opportunities, and experiences that allow our students to thrive.”

Mayor Adams’ investment provides schools with certainty and continuity as they approach the upcoming school year and continue to implement “NYC Reads” and “NYC Solves,” provide critical educational instruction to the public school system’s most vulnerable students, including new arrivals, and implement strategies to meet the state’s class size law. New York City Public Schools will be releasing initial budget allocations to all schools this week, and district leadership will be working closely with school principals to address any questions or concerns that may arise..

The Adams administration continues to build on its core educational accomplishments for New York City Public School students, including implementing a major literacy initiative through “NYC Reads” and a signature math initiative through “NYC Solves;” instituting nation-leading dyslexia supports; expanding Gifted and Talented Programs; increasing math test scores by 12 percent and English language arts test scores by 3 percent in 2023; building nine new schools for the 2024-2025 school year alone; helping students prepare for college and careers; creating the Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning to prioritize the city's most vulnerable students and families, including multi-language learners and students with disabilities; and cementing new labor contracts for teachers, principals, and staff.

Assemblymember John Zaccaro - Reserve Your Kitchen Compost Bin Today

 

Friends,

I’m thrilled to announce that we have secured a limited number of kitchen top compost bins for members of our community.

As you may know, the New York City Council has passed a law mandating that all residents and businesses compost their food scraps beginning April 1, 2025. To help with this transition, we are happy to provide a limited number of FREE kitchen top compost bins by reservation only. 

To reserve your kitchen top compost bin today, please see our flyer below and scan the QR code or click here.  

If you have any questions about NYC's composting program, please call our office at 718-409-0109.

With Gratitude,

John Zaccaro, Jr.

Statement on Far Left NYC Democrat Mayoral Primary Debate

 

House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik released the following statement: "The sheer insanity of the NY Democrat Party was on full display in tonight’s NYC mayoral primary debate hosted by NBC New York. Here are some promises these radical Far Left Democrats made to NYers:  - All have been on record for Defunding the Police - All have been on the record supporting failed bail reform releasing violent criminals on our streets  - NY Democrats want to spend even more of YOUR hard earned taxpayer dollars for illegals - Refusing to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state - Releasing antisemitic, violent illegal criminals harassing and targeting Jewish NYers and destroying private and public property  This is Kathy Hochul’s NY Democrat Party - a failed, radical, Far Left party that is divided, in free fall, and failing hardworking New Yorkers.  Instead of this radical lurch to the Far Left Socialist/Communists on full display this evening offered by these desperate NY Democrats, everyday New Yorkers want lower taxes, less spending, rule of law, secure borders, fiscal responsibility, school choice and better education for our kids, better housing, & more affordable goods and services.  New Yorkers are ready for strong Republican leadership at all levels to actually deliver results for our great city and state that have suffered years of decay, danger, and destruction under single party Democrat rule. SAVE NEW YORK!"

MAYOR ADAMS TAKES ACTION TO MAKE CITY STREETS SAFER: ANNOUNCES CITYWIDE SPEED LIMIT FOR E-BIKES AND E-SCOOTERS, PRESSES CITY COUNCIL FOR ACTION ON STALLED LEGISLATION TO PROTECT DELIVERY WORKER

Proposed Rule Prohibits E-Bikes and E-Scooters from Traveling Faster Than 15 Miles-Per-Hour on City Streets

Mayor Adams Says Enforcement and Physical Safety Measures Can Only Go So Far: Pushes for Council Action on Adams Administration Bill to Create Commercial

Delivery License to Strengthen Delivery Worker, Battery, and Traffic Safety 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced a slate of new policies to enhance street safety, including a citywide 15 mile-per-hour speed limit for e-bikes and e-scooters on city streets. Recognizing that enforcement and physical safety measures can only go so far, Mayor Adams also renewed a push for the City Council to take up legislation he announced to create a commercial delivery license to strengthen delivery worker, battery, and traffic safety. Originally announced by Mayor Adams during his 2024 State of the City address, the proposed legislation to create a Department of Sustainable Delivery has stalled in the City Council for over nine months, without introducing it or holding a single public hearing on it. Meanwhile, the Adams administration has held multiple roundtable discussions with app companies, bike companies, transportation advocacy groups, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), hospitality industry leaders, and delivery workers, all of which City Council staff were invited to.

"I have heard, over and over again, from New Yorkers about how their safety — and the safety of their children — has been put at risk due to speeding e-bikes and e-scooters, and today, our administration is saying enough is enough: We are implementing a new 15-mile-per-hour speed limit for e-bikes and e-scooters that will make our streets safer," said Mayor Adams. "We’re proud of the work we’ve done to expand biking across the five boroughs, but we have an obligation to keep everyone safe. We are also calling on our partners in the City Council to pass our long-proposed legislation that will strengthen delivery worker safety — it's time to protect delivery workers and all New Yorkers, once and for all."

"With record bike ridership and a historic expansion of our protected bike lane network, we're making it safer and easier than ever for the record number of New Yorkers choosing cycling by building infrastructure and providing education to meet the moment," said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "Thankfully, the vast majority of e-bike and stand-up e-scooter users operate their devices safely, but we are using every tool in our safety toolkit and studying worldwide best practices, to ensure every New Yorker is traveling at safe speeds on our streets." 

The proposed rule to establish a speed limit would prohibit e-bikes, electric scooters, and pedal-assist commercial bicycles from operating at speeds greater than 15 miles-per-hour on city streets, the same speed limit that currently applies to stand up e-scooters. The new rules would also mirror best practices for e-bike speeds in many other areas of the world, including the European Union, which has implemented speed limits for e-bikes of 25 kilometers-per-hour (approximately 15 miles-per-hour) in bike lanes.

Mayor Adams also today announced the city is exploring installing additional physical safety measures in city parks, including Central Park and Prospect Park, to protect both riders of e-bikes and pedestrians walking near them.

This announcement is the latest step Mayor Adams is taking to enhance public safety for all New Yorkers. The Adams administration has built a record 87.5 miles of new protected bike lanes and upgraded an additional 20 miles of bike lanes in the past three years alone to meet record demand for bike infrastructure throughout New York City.

MAYOR ADAMS, CHANCELLOR AVILES RAMOS ANNOUNCE HISTORIC NEW INCLUSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER IN BROOKLYN TO OPEN THIS FALL

 

New School Model Launching at P.S. 6 Will House First AIMS Program in Central Brooklyn

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles Ramos today announced a first-ever inclusive early childhood education center, also known as an annex, for children in general education classes and for children with autism and other disabilities in Flatbush, Brooklyn that will open for the 2025-2026 school year. P.S. 6’s new annex will serve students with autism and other special education needs from pre-K through second grade, and will feature the district’s first-ever AIMS classrooms, a special education program for students with autism focused on acquisition, integrated services, meaningful communication, and social skills. A general education 3-K program will also be offered. The annex will be housed in a newly constructed, state-of-the-art building that is fully-equipped to serve the unique needs of the student population it will support. In year one, the school will open with general education 3-K, a mixed integrated general and special education pre-K class, and a kindergarten AIMS class. The program will expand over the next two years to include AIMS classes for first and second grades, creating a full 3-K through second grade continuum by the 2027-2028 school year.  

“Our administration is committed to meeting the needs of every child, which is why we’re proud to announce the opening of School District 17’s first-ever special education annex at P.S. 6 right in Flatbush, Brooklyn,” said Mayor Adams. “Opening for the 2025–2026 school year, this new, state-of-the-art facility will help ensure families of children with special needs receive the support they deserve — no matter their ZIP code. The annex will feature the district’s first dedicated classrooms for our autistic learners, as well as a general education 3-K program and an integrated pre-K class, providing students with the individualized support they need from the very beginning of their educational journey and helping make New York City the best place to raise a family.”

 

“We strongly believe in providing students individualized support that honors their unique learning journey,” said Public Schools Chancellor Aviles-Ramos. “By investing in specialized learning environments with trained and supportive educators, we not only address immediate needs but also lay the foundation for lifelong success. I look forward to seeing how this program will empower our youngest learners in Brooklyn to reach their full potential.” 

 

This initiative represents the tangible impact of Mayor Adams’ recent $55 million permanent investment in preschool special education and underscores the Adams administration’s ongoing commitment to creating inclusive and supportive learning environments for every public-school student. 

 

“The P.S. 6 annex represents a significant advancement in our commitment to create truly inclusive educational spaces across the city,” said New York City Public Schools Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning (DIAL) Deputy Chancellor Christina Foti. “This initiative builds upon our already successful programs, like Nest Horizon and Path, which consistently demonstrate that when we provide appropriate supports, our students thrive. We are committed to removing educational barriers and creating access to high-quality, responsive education because all children are our children and their success is our collective responsibility.” 

“This is a powerful example of what’s possible when we center children’s needs in every decision — and when early childhood, special education, and community partners come together with a shared purpose,” said New York City Public Schools Division of Early Childhood Education Simone Hawkins. “We know how critical the early years are, especially for children with disabilities, and this new site affirms our deep commitment to meeting every child where they are and ensuring they have the tools and support to thrive from the very start.”

Governor Hochul Announces $45.9 Million Available for Supportive Housing Statewide

FY26 Enacted Budget Boosts Funding for Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative To Aid New Yorkers Experiencing Homelessness

Funding Assists Veterans, Individuals With Serious Mental Illness or Substance Use Disorder, Domestic Violence Survivors and Older Adults With Disabilities

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the availability of $45.9 million through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative, a program that funds supportive services to help stably house New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. As part of the FY26 Enacted Budget, Governor Hochul secured the first increase in funding for the program since its creation in 2016, providing significantly higher rates for these units, which serve adults experiencing homelessness, survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, veterans and chronically homeless families and individuals living with a mental illness or substance use disorder.

“Supportive services are a vital component of our efforts to ensure all New Yorkers have a safe, stable place to call home,” Governor Hochul said. “By expanding the funding available through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative, we can help individuals experiencing homelessness get the help they need to remain stably housed within their community.”

Projects may now apply for up to $34,000 annually per unit or qualifying individual in the New York City metropolitan area, which includes all five city boroughs, Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties — an increase of $9,000 over the previous rate. Developments in other areas of the state are eligible for up to $31,000 annually per unit or qualifying individual, which is an increase of $6,000 over the previous rate.

Since taking office, Governor Hochul has made landmark investments to expand supportive housing statewide as part of her $25 billion five-year plan to create and preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 homes with support services for vulnerable populations. To date, the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative has financed supportive services and operating costs for more than 9,600 units of safe and permanent housing.

This initiative provides operating funding for supportive service providers serving homeless veterans and their families; survivors of domestic and gender-based violence; older adults who are disabled or frail; young adults with a history of incarceration, homelessness, or foster care; chronically homeless individuals and families; individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities; individuals reentering the community from prison; and those living with HIV or AIDS, serious mental illness or substance use disorders. The State Office of Mental Health serves as the lead procurement agency for the funding, which is dispersed by an interagency workgroup of eight state agencies serving vulnerable New Yorkers.

Funding may be used for rental assistance and services to eligible target populations to ensure their housing stability. Permissible uses include rental subsidies and other occupancy costs; services or staff to identify and locate eligible individuals that need housing; primary and behavioral health services; employment and vocational training; educational assistance, parenting skills development and support; child care assistance counseling and crisis intervention; children’s services, including educational advocacy, support and counseling; and costs associated with services that help individuals and families remain stably housed.

Research has shown that permanent supportive housing reduces the demand for shelters, hospital beds, emergency rooms, prisons and jails, in addition to having a positive effect on employment, school attendance and mental and physical wellbeing. Supportive housing projects can also positively impact neighborhoods through new construction or by rehabilitating existing buildings.

 

New Comptroller Report: Rising Heat Kills Hundreds of New Yorkers Every Summer While Energy Costs Surge

30% of New Yorkers are energy insecure while ConEd energy rates spike by $31 per month on average

Trump aims to slash the Low Income Heating & Energy Assistance Program and the ENERGY STAR programs that save household energy costs 

As summer temperatures begin to rise, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander published a new report, Record Highs: Tackling Energy Insecurity in the Heat of the Climate Crisis, warning that New Yorkers are on the brink of a utility bill affordability crisis. Rate hikes coupled with increased heat waves brought on by climate change are hurting families’ bottom lines; worse, the Trump Administration called for cancelling both the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the ENERGY STAR program, two federal initiatives that reduce household energy costs.  

“The summer season is upon us and so are heatwaves and high utility bills,” said Comptroller Brad Lander. “Millions of New Yorkers will have to decide between paying for air conditioning, rent, or putting food on the table, and as a result, hundreds could die from preventable heatstroke. With Trump shutting off energy assistance programs, states and cities need to power up to make energy more affordable by curbing energy rate hikes, prioritizing financial supports like the NY HEAT Act, and expanding alternative affordable public power through renewables and solar.”  

2024 was the hottest year on record. By 2080, New York City could experience ten heat waves each summer and see six times more days above 90°F. Hotter summers drive up the need for air conditioning, increasing the costs of cooling costs by more than 50% in the last decade. Citywide, 11% of New Yorkers do not have air conditioners at home.  

The growing frequency and severity of heat waves is not only a financial concern, each year, 580 New Yorkers die prematurely due to extreme heat. The ability to afford air conditioning can be a matter of life or death: 42% of the people who died at home during extreme heat had air conditioners that were not working or in use, while 58% had no air conditioning at all. 

In the last five years, 3.5 million New Yorkers fell behind on utility payments and 1.9 million households experienced utility shutoffs because they could not pay their bills. Utility debt has doubled since before the pandemic. Energy insecurity is even higher for low-income, Black, and Latino New Yorkers, who are eight times as likely to have utilities shut off than white and affluent New Yorkers.   

Even with the current state of climate and energy insecurity, New Yorkers may see even steeper increases in basic utility costs:  

• ConEd’s proposed electricity rate hike would raise the average household electricity bill by $31 per month, or $372 year.   

• Trump’s proposed termination of the LIHEAP program would leave over a million households in New York City struggling to afford the basic costs of energy.   

• LIHEAP benefits already fell far short of addressing the energy bill needs of New Yorkers. Due to limited funding, only half of eligible households receive assistance—and while the program may cover the cost of an air conditioner, State restrictions prohibit any help with the cost of running it.  

• Trump’s proposed elimination of ENERGY STAR could increase average household energy costs by $450 annually.   

To combat rising energy costs and heat, the report recommends: 

• Limiting rate increases, while strengthening and expanding the New York State Energy Affordability Program to ensure that any increases are fair and necessary and to enable more customers to access financial support.   
• Passing the NY HEAT Act, which would end the expansion of gas infrastructure and cap the utility bills of low- and moderate-income New Yorkers across the State to 6% of household income.  
• Establishing a Right to Cooling that requires landlords to maintain a minimum indoor air temperature during hot summer months by providing air conditioners for heat-vulnerable tenants.   
• Expanding public power for clean, affordable energy through the City’s new Public Solar NYC initiative and increase renewable energy projects through New York Power Authority (NYPA).  

Read the full report: https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/record-highs-tackling-energy-insecurity-in-the-heat-of-the-climate-crisis 

Attorney General James Urges Court to Protect LGBTQ+ Youth from Conversion Therapy

 

Conversion Therapy Shown to Increase Risk of Suicide and Depression; 20 AGs File Brief Supporting Michigan’s Ban on Conversion Therapy

New York Attorney General Letitia James joined a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to uphold Michigan’s ban on conversion therapy for minors. In an amicus brief filed in Catholic Charities v. Whitmer, Attorney General James and the coalition support Michigan as it faces a challenge to its ban on conversion therapy for minors, a practice that is proven to be both dangerous and ineffective. Conversion therapy is shown to increase risks of suicide and depression, especially among transgender youth. The coalition emphasizes that states across the country have banned conversion therapy because it fails to meet acceptable standards of professional medical practice and puts the LGBTQ+ community at risk of harm.

“No one should ever be subject to the harmful practice of conversion therapy,” said Attorney General James. “At a time when the LGBTQ+ community is under attack by the federal administration, states must stand firm in defending their rights and dignity. Michigan is on the right side of history by protecting youth from the disavowed practice of conversion therapy and we are fighting alongside them to keep this ban in place.”

Conversion therapy is a widely disavowed practice intended to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity based on the false premise that LGBTQ+ identities are a mental illness. In their brief, the attorneys general explain that Michigan and other states have properly protected youth from conversion therapy, a practice that has proven to be harmful, has been widely discredited, and does not meet acceptable standards of professional medical practice. The attorneys general also assert that the practice is overwhelmingly disavowed by major professional health associations, including the American Psychological Association and the American Medical Association.

Over 25 states have restrictions on conversion therapy, including New York. These bans on conversion therapy rely on the large body of evidence that conversion therapy for youth is not only ineffective, but also causes mental and physical harm. The coalition argues that prohibiting conversion therapy does not violate the First Amendment because states can regulate professional conduct, even if that conduct involves speech. The attorneys general say striking down a ban on conversion therapy would likely create profound unintended consequences for states’ authority to regulate professional practices within their borders as they have throughout most of the nation’s history.

Michigan began prohibiting licensed mental health practitioners from practicing conversion therapy on minors in 2023 in light of mounting evidence that it causes young people serious harm. A 2020 peer-reviewed study found that LGBTQ+ youth who had been subjected to conversion therapy attempted suicide at a rate nearly three times higher than other minors. Over 60 percent of transgender and gender-nonconforming youth who go through conversion therapy before age ten attempt suicide. The practice of conversion therapy is also based on scientifically questionable theories, and can include the use of “aversion therapy” treatments, including electric shock treatment, nausea-inducing drugs, or psychoanalytic treatments that undermine the health and dignity of LGBTQ+ youth.

In 2019, the New York State Legislature passed a bill that prohibited mental health professionals from practicing conversion therapy on minors. Many cities and counties throughout New York have also passed bans on the largely condemned practice prior to the passage of the statewide bill.

Joining Attorney General James in submitting this brief are the attorneys general of the California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.