Dear Friend,

Right now the state legislature is going into the next phase of budget negotiations by releasing our one-house budget resolutions. These resolutions are where we counter the Governor's budget proposal with our own priorities and financial plan before the Senate, Assembly and Governor come to the table and begin final negotiations. The budget is due April 1st, and so we have a lot of work to do to make sure we have a final document that is reflective of our values and helps the most people.

Every year I work to make sure that the state budget helps the communities and constituents that I represent. This year I’m fighting to ensure funding for the following three critical programs:

The New Deal For CUNY: CUNY is one of the crown jewels of our city, providing affordable higher education to thousands and providing upward mobility. Investing in our next generation helps secure the future of our state. Unfortunately, CUNY has been chronically underfunded for years, leading to overcrowded classrooms, outdated facilities, and limited resources for students and faculty, making it difficult for students to access the quality education they need to succeed. It has also hindered the ability of CUNY to attract and retain talented faculty members. I’m pushing for a real commitment and investment in CUNY to make education accessible to all New Yorkers.

The MTA: The MTA is the lifeblood of our city and the downstate region. In order to operate more frequently and seamlessly than before the pandemic to attract riders, grow revenue, and achieve fiscal sustainability, the MTA needs state help. This year I’m fighting to fully fund the MTA to fill a budget deficit that will threaten its ability to provide safe and reliable transportation to the millions of New Yorkers who rely on it to get to school and work.

The Working Families Tax Credit: When the federal government failed to renew the incredibly successful expanded child tax credit, millions of working families across the state were left out in the cold. My Working Families Tax Credit will streamline the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Empire State Child Tax Credit (CTC), giving increased support to working families with children under 18 and materially improving the lives of New York’s children, plain and simple. Our state has committed to cutting childhood poverty in half by 2030, and my WFTC will get us half way there.

By supporting these essential programs, we can make a real difference in the lives of our fellow New Yorkers.

There’s a lot at stake in the negotiations this year. In addition to my proposals, I’m also focused on housing affordability, including helping NYCHA residents with pandemic related arrears and making sure that tenants have the protections they need, raising the state’s minimum wage, investments in our state’s climate future, ensuring our state net hospitals have the resources they need and more.

Let's work together to pass the budget and ensure our communities continue thriving.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out!

Let’s get to work!

– Andrew