CSCS: Council of Senior Centers and Services of NYC, Inc.

Gotham Gazette Article

Silver Touts Budget Restorations for NYC

Thursday, March 31, 2011

By: David King

Publication & Publisher: Gotham Gazette

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver does not agree with Mayor Michael Bloomberg's assessment that the city got hosed by the state budget. Silver is going to lengths to show that he fought for his city and the district he represents.

"I am proud that we in the Assembly led the way, working with the Governor, to address the needs of hard working families and some of our most vulnerable citizens," Silver said in a statement. "The state's struggling economy required my colleagues and I to make difficult compromises, forcing us – like families across our state – to reduce expenses and do more with less. But we made sure that we didn't balance this budget on the backs of those who can least afford it and were able to win some key funding restorations to soften the impact of these cuts."

Here is the full release from his office:

Speaker Silver and Assembly Majority Lead Way in Budget

To Restore Funding for Services Vital to New York City

Despite Difficult Budget, Assembly Fights for Programs that are Critical to Our Future

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Ways and Means Committee Chair Herman D. Farrell, Jr. today released details of the final 2011-12 Budget that makes more than $575 million in restorations to programs that are essential to so many communities while at the same time closing a $10 billion deficit.

The nearly $133 billion fiscal plan spends $3.1 billion less than last year, however Speaker Silver noted the Assembly majority conference fought to restore $272 million in school aid – including $53 million for New York City schools – and won key victories to provide critical funding for senior centers, housing programs, and employment and training programs that are vital to New York City.

"I am proud that we in the Assembly led the way, working with the Governor, to address the needs of hard working families and some of our most vulnerable citizens," said Speaker Silver. "The state's struggling economy required my colleagues and I to make difficult compromises, forcing us – like families across our state – to reduce expenses and do more with less. But we made sure that we didn't balance this budget on the backs of those who can least afford it and were able to win some key funding restorations to soften the impact of these cuts."

Speaker Silver said those restorations include:

-$230 million in general support to public schools statewide, including $53 million for New York City schools. In addition, restorations for state-supported schools for the blind and deaf and the Summer School Special Education program reduced the cost shift to NYC by $95 million;

-Senior programs, including $25 million in Title XX funding – a full restoration – to help keep senior centers in New York City open and serving our communities;

-Housing programs, including a full restoration of the Neighborhood Preservation Program ($4.2 million) to preserve its vital work in fostering community preservation and housing renewal throughout New York City;

-Funding for vital social services to help struggling families make ends meet. The budget restores $9.4 million to various child care, education, and employment programs under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families initiative;

-49 percent of the proposed base aid cut, or an $88 per Full Time Equivalent restoration, for a total of $5.1 million for CUNY community colleges. In addition, the budget provides new procurement guidelines for CUNY that will allow CUNY colleges and the CUNY Construction;

Fund to purchase goods without prior approval from the attorney general or the state comptroller;

-$334,000 to help provide child care for students working to get their degree;

-Job training and economic development efforts, including a $15.5 million full restoration to the Summer Youth Employment Program to help young people find entry level employment and $3.9 million for the Displaced Homemaker Program and Jobs for Youth Program; and

-$22.3 million to the EPIC program to cover Medicare Part D premiums for low-income participants, for unmarried participants who have an annual income of less than or equal to $23,000 and married participants with an annual income of less than or equal to $29,000.

"In the spirit of compromise, we were able to restore funding to ensure children in our high-needs school districts are able to compete with their counterparts around the world, assist families who are homeless, enable seniors to thrive, and provide young people with the work experience and the earnings they need to help support their families," said Speaker Silver.

Also included in the budget is a three-year phase-in to provide home-care workers with a local living wage in counties where living wage laws are enacted.

"I am particularly proud to have fully restored state funding for New York City's senior centers," said Speaker Silver. "In these difficult economic times, it is more important than ever that we take care of our older residents by maintaining the crucial services these centers provide, including hot nutritious meals, and health and wellness programs. Senior centers are a lifeline for tens of thousands of New York City residents, many of whom are living in poverty. Thanks to our commitment to keeping Title XX funding in the budget, seniors in New York City will be able to access the critical resources they have come to rely upon."