New York City Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo released the following statement after Harlem Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and members of the New York City Council reached an early agreement on Wednesday with Mayor Bill de Blasio on a balanced FY2017 budget.
“I want to thank Harlem Speaker Mark-Viverito and Finance Committee Chair Julissa Ferreras-Copeland for their leadership throughout the budget process. I am so incredibly proud of the critical funding that the City Council and de Blasio Administration was able to secure in the fiscal year 2017 budget to meet the needs of our youth, seniors, and families who depend on summer youth employment, after school programming, public libraries, food pantries, and supportive services,” said Council Member Cumbo.
The fiscal year 2017 budget marks significant increases in funding from fiscal year 2016 for vital programs and services that will benefit more than 8.4 million New Yorkers.
Summer Youth Employment
Through $39 million a year in baselined funding, the Summer Youth Employment program will expand by 10,000 slots to a new total of 60,000 slots this summer – providing additional teenagers and young adults with job opportunities as we work towards meeting the increasing demand. In 2015, more than 130,000 applications were received for only 50,000 slots.
Libraries
With $21 million a year in additional baselined funding, the Brooklyn, New York, and Queens Public Library systems will continue to provide six-day service at neighborhood branches throughout the City.
Cultural Organizations
Cultural institutions are the touch points in our neighborhoods that have contributed to our thriving economy through job creation and tourism, while struggling to meet growing demand and operational expenses. Though we initially asked for $40 million through the NYC Inspires campaign, we received $10 million after seeking an increase in funding for the last two years.
Emergency Food Assistance
According to the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, over 1.4 million New Yorkers – including nearly one in four children – lived in households that lacked sufficient food and depend on emergency food assistance. The Emergency Food Assistance Program, with a $5 million boost in funding from the City, will see a 40 percent increase in its capacity to support 450 food pantries and community kitchens.
Public Safety
This year, all five District Attorneys will receive a combined $22 million a year in additional city funding to expand their capacity to investigate and prosecute crimes with additional staffing and upgraded technology while supporting their ongoing work with victims through their domestic violence units and the creation of a unit on Rikers Island.
The budget also includes:
- $3 million in additional funding for Vision Zero public outreach campaigns;
- $1.7 million to extend beach and pool season one week past Labor Day at a variety of beaches and pools citywide;
- $17.5 million in FY17 for 26,000 summer seats for middle school youth.
- $17.6 million in FY17 to provide elementary after-school programming for 9,000 children.
- $1.8 million in baselined funding for senior case management, aimed at addressing the waitlist for the Department for the Aging’s case management program, which provides support to 20,000 low-income and homebound seniors.
“Today’s agreement is the earliest handshake in 15 years – signifying efficiency in city governance, fiscal responsibility, and our collective commitment to maximize this city’s nearly $82.1 billion budget. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Administration to advance the City of New York.”
New York City Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo released the following statement after Harlem Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and members of the New York City Council reached an early agreement on Wednesday with Mayor Bill de Blasio on a balanced FY2017 budget.
