Dear New Yorkers,

Happy Disability Pride Month! As July nears its end, let’s reflect once again on our commitment to accessibility.

My name is Nick Astor, and I serve as the Constituency Liaison for People with Disabilities here in the Comptroller’s Office. In my first year on the job, we really hit the ground running, using all the tools of the office to help make New York City more equitable for New Yorkers with disabilities.

Watch this clip to learn more about my role and this work in the Comptroller’s Office:

In honor of Disability Pride Month, I want to provide a round-up of everything my team has been working on to ensure that all New Yorkers have their needs met:

Improving accessibility in New York City public schools is a huge priority. After all, only 31% of our public schools are accessible, meaning not every child is able to participate in their education. This year, we released a report on special education services, revealing a tenfold spending increase on service claims in the last decade. We offered cost-effective recommendations that would provide students and their parents or guardians with the support they need. And throughout budget season, we strongly supported Advocates for Children’s call for $1.2 billion in capital plan funding for schools. 

We also know that employment is a big issue in the disability community. Our office released a report shedding light on how New Yorkers with disabilities have a significantly lower employment rate than their non-disabled counterparts. New York lags behind national rates, and our disability employment gap is especially pronounced for Black, Hispanic, and male workers. We also see that workers with disabilities are heavily represented in service occupations as well as sales, office, and administrative support roles, while underrepresented in management, business, and financial occupations. 

New York needs to close the gap, which is partly why we’ve been working so hard internally to promote accessibility and Disability Justice within the Comptroller’s Office. Earlier this year, we released our first-ever five year accessibility plan at the NYC Comptroller’s office. This plan in part is our commitment to deploy the tools of this office to effectuate real change in the lives of everyday New Yorkers with disabilities. We want to combat ableism in all its forms across all government agencies, including our office and in the private sector. 

Our Creative Director and Digital Inclusion Officer Archer Hutchinson conducted a web accessibility audit, finding that the Comptroller’s website is compliant with accessibility standards in accordance with WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines. We also partnered with AHRC for the first time this summer to bring qualified individuals with disabilities into our summer internship program. We also are exploring partnerships with other programs that cater to people with disabilities, because a know a diverse workforce is a strong one.

Sadly, although we have made great strides in making New York City more accessible, we’ve also faced setbacks. Governor Kathy Hochul’s last-minute decision to indefinitely "pause" congestion pricing leaves a $15 million hole in the MTA’s budget. Without these funds, the MTA cannot install new elevators at 18 stations across the five boroughs, delaying one of the core promises of the ADA: that everyone should have equal access to public spaces. Comptroller Lander is leading a coalition of attorneys, advocates and plaintiffs pursuing legal action to overturn the Governor’s decision.

Clearly, we’ve done a lot this year – but it’s all in a day’s work of making this city a little more compassionate and inclusive every day. I look forward to working with our great team here in the office in creating a world where disability justice is always front of mind.

Thanks,

Nick Astor 
Constituency Liaison for People with Disabilities
The Office of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander

The Office of New York City Comptroller

Our mailing address is:
Office of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander
1 Centre Street
New York, NY 10007
United States

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