Dear John
This week the Mayor released his preliminary budget. For anyone not familiar with New York City’s budget process, this is essentially the Mayor’s wish list of what he’d like to see funded, or in some cases not funded. This is the first step in a long and arduous process that will culminate in the City Council voting on a final budget in late June (usually on June 30th at the midnight hour). Just like the separation of powers at the federal and state level, it’s the executive’s job to propose the budget but it’s the legislature’s job to review and tweak it. We are the people’s house and it’s our job to ensure the budget represents what the people want.
I have always said that budgets are moral documents and well the morals of this document are complicated. This budget is a slight decrease from the 2021 budget but there are some positive investments. The Mayor is putting a quarter of a billion dollars into improving maternal health disparities (especially for women of color), increasing the Summer Youth Employment Program to 100k spots, and improving tax abatements for childcare centers. While I’m supportive of all of these program ideas, they are window dressing to hide the cuts hidden in this budget.
After two harrowing years of this pandemic, we need a budget that makes serious investments, not one that looks to cut corners. This budget cuts school staff, halts the expansion of our City’s composting program, and eliminates thousands of open positions across the City including some agencies with serious staffing shortages. This is a budget without real investments in our City’s immigrant communities and one that doubles down on putting more cops on our streets to create the illusion of safety.
This budget puts billions in a rainy-day fund when our City needs historic investments in everything from housing to healthcare in order to recover from the worst of this pandemic. I was elected to help our City thrive again, not oversee an austerity budget. This is only the first step, but as my constituents I want you to know when I stand. I’ll keep you updated as the budget fight continues and promise to always be transparent.
Con Edison Bills
We’ve heard from many constituents over the past few weeks about shockingly high energy bills. Without notice, some neighbors received power bills two or three times as high as normal. Now, Con Ed is blaming the energy market and supply chain issues, but this seems to be yet another example of the pandemic price gouging we’re seeing across the country. Our solutions to these problems can’t be piecemeal, we have to think big.
Right now, state law prohibits expanding our green-energy operation. The New York Power Authority (or NYPA) is limited to producing only a small amount of green power that it can only sell to a limited number of customers. But there’s grassroots organizing fighting to change that. The Public Power campaign is a coalition of progressive and environmental organizations across the state fighting to remove the legal barriers imposed on NYPA. The Build Public Renewables Act is state legislation that will create a 100% green energy-backed public power option through NYPA for people like you and me to power our homes. The best part? This bill would also create a democratic board to oversee NYPA, allowing us to create cheap green energy through our state’s first democratically controlled power authority. If you want to take action to lower your power bill and create the green revolution we need in New York, get involved with the Public Power campaign here.
COVID-19
First off, you have probably seen that the New York State mask mandate is no longer in effect. This follows a trend of many other states and cities dropping vaccine and mask mandates as the Omicron surge subsides. While our City positivity rates have significantly improved from the peak this winter, I’m cautious to support removing these vital public health guidelines when COVID-19 still presents a serious threat. The City mandate is still in effect for schools and subways and I would still personally encourage all of you to continue to wear a mask indoors when appropriate. Our weekly briefings from the Department of Health are showing promising signs of a real recovery, but our team is remaining vigilant for new variants on the horizon.
#VaxCash is also back until the end of the month! If you have yet to get your booster, you can get yours and a $100 prepaid debit card at any City run site today.
Community Bulletin
- NYC Votes has a paid youth ambassador program for this summer! If you are or know, a young person passionate about democracy then submit your application before 2/25.
- Looking to catch up on Community Board news? Check out the most recent Community Board 6 meeting recorded here.
- St Nick’s Alliance has a 14-week paid internship program for New York City youth between 16 and 24! This is a hands-on program with five hours of work readiness workshops and 10 hours of work experience every week. You’ll meet with a case manager and gain real job skills to help you prepare to enter the workforce. Apply here!
- The Department of Health has just opened applications for its Green Cart and Seasonal Food Cart program for vendors looking to sell fresh produce. Anyone interested in applying for a vendor permit can apply here.
- The high school application deadline has been extended until March 11th! You can find the application link for your child here.
- I’m proud to announce that I’ll be presiding over my first Committee hearing on 2/28! The Immigration Committee will meet at 10 AM to investigate reports of horrific COVID-19 outbreaks in ICE detention facilities across our state. Tune in and learn how we can fight back.
- You asked and our state delivered! This week, the Governor announced 29 new #VaxForKids sites across the state to help improve New York’s adolescent vaccination rates. While District 39 is well above the City and state average, New York lags behind other states in childhood vaccination rates. Share this information with anyone you know looking to get their kid vaccinated in New York!
Hope everyone is enjoying the few days of “fake spring” we’ve been having!
In Solidarity,
Shahana
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