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

Capitol Confidential

Budget React-o-mat

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

By: Rebecca Melnitsky

Publication & Publisher: Capitol Confidential

From the Council of Senior Centers and Services.

"Seniors across the city breathed a sigh of relief to learn that Governor Andrew Cuomo did not propose a cut to Title XX funding that would close 105 NYC senior centers depriving upwards of 10,000 seniors of their local senior center beginning in April, 2012. There would be 2.5 million less meals provided to seniors each year. Seniors would be at-risk for social isolation that could accelerate physical and mental deterioration at a time the state is working hard to save health care dollars.

A massive letter writing campaign, led by the Council of Senior Centers and Services (CSCS) culminated in a remarkable 16,642 letters from seniors - in English, Spanish and Chinese - urging Governor Cuomo not to propose cutting Title XX again. Letters of support to keep the funding intact came from state Assemblymembers and Senators as well as City Councilmembers. The Bloomberg administration also supports keeping the funding as is. For a list of the 105 senior centers that would close, copies of the letters, Title XX fact sheet and other information, go to www.cscs-ny.org

Initially proposed under Governor Paterson, this would have been the third consecutive year this cut was proposed. Each year, thousands of seniors are terrified, angry and exhausted from having to fight again to keep their beloved senior centers open. Each year, there is bipartisan support to restore the approximately $25 million needed to keep all the centers open. Seniors grew tired of the annual budget dance and are now dancing for joy in their senior centers.

• Igal Jellinek, Executive Director, CSCS, "On behalf of the 10,000 seniors who were anxious to see if their senior center would be on the hit list due to a proposed Title XX cut again, we are thrilled and appreciative that Governor Cuomo did not include this cut again in his budget. The 16,642 letters sent by seniors to Governor Cuomo opposing a cut clearly portray the vital importance senior centers play in the lives of thousands of older New Yorkers. Thank you, Governor Cuomo."
• Senator Diane Savino, Chair, Committee on Children and Families, (Title XX flows through OCFS), stated, "I want applaud Governor Cuomo and his administration for their commitment to funding New York's Title XX programs. As New York continues to face economic challenges we need to ensure that our senior population remains a priority and by putting the funding in the budget we are on course to just that."
• Assemblywoman Joan Millman, Chair, Committee on Aging, "On behalf of all seniors in New York City we thank Governor Cuomo for allowing Title XX funds to remain in place to run our senior centers."
• Councilwoman Jessica Lappin, Chair, Committee on Aging, ""This is wonderful news. The Governor heard our message loud and clear, and this year older New Yorkers won't have to worry about losing their senior centers."
• Councilman David Greenfield, Chair, Subcommittee on Senior Centers, "I support the Governor's decision to spare our seniors centers from devastating cuts, despite the extremely difficult choices he was forced to make in his proposed budget. Our senior citizens deserve our respect and access to outstanding neighborhood programs and services, and this funding is essential in allowing senior centers fill that need. Since taking office I have fought to maintain funding for senior centers, and will continue to do so whenever they are unfairly targeted for funding reductions."