In the midst of negotiations to decide how the New York City municipal budget will be spent during fiscal year 2024, which begins next July 1, Mayor Eric Adams presented his proposed spending of $106.7 billion on Wednesday. dollars, defending it as a road map that will lead the Big Apple “towards a greener, more prosperous and fairer future.” But from different flanks of the five counties, they have not stopped raining darts at the president, as they consider that he does not prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable and maintains police investments over social investments, housing, health, jobs and legal aid.
Despite the fact that the Democratic leader backed down on several cut proposals, such as public libraries and some schools that lost enrollment, which feared that their resources would be reduced, the budget, the highest in the history of the City, does not finish convincing.
Adams puts a face to it and ensures that his proposal “preserves essential services and continues to improve the lives of New Yorkers every day”, since almost 60 percent of the budget ($62.500 million) will go to education, health care and social services , but critics see it as insufficient and reject that it points to the more than 57,000 asylum seekers that the City will have supported with almost $4.3 billion by July 2024, as a great cause to promote austerity plans.
This was stated by community organizations, immigrant advocates, and New York political leaders, who raised an uproar when they found out that many of their requests, such as the investment of $3 million for school transfer programs for English learners, $75 million to hire additional school social workers, $41.1 million in renewed funding for legal services programs, and increased funding for subsidies for affordable housing, mental health services, school counseling, and reduced resources to the NYPD, were ignored.
Murad Awawdeh, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) attacked the budget presented by the local president and after assuring that the Mayor is sending a contradictory message, rejected his continuous calls for austerity and demanded that a spending that ensures all New Yorkers have equal opportunities, regardless of income level or legal status.
“Mayor Adams has become incredibly adept at speaking out of both sides of his mouth. How can we be on the brink of a fiscal crisis and still have $8.3 billion for an emergency fund? Has no sense. Right now, thousands of New Yorkers are struggling with skyrocketing rents, rising food prices, and just making ends meet,” the activist said.
The defender of immigrants also criticized that the burgomaster intends to blame municipal spending on newcomers and stressed that the lack of investment in vulnerable communities betrays the true interests of the head of the Big Apple.
“Instead of providing real solutions for all New York families, the Mayor continues to sow division among New Yorkers by blaming his Administration’s fiscal failures on asylum seekers who are simply seeking safety from violence and persecution, as they are legally entitled to do,” the NYIC spokesperson said. “The mayor has made it clear that his priority is ensuring that the City serves the interests of the wealthiest, no matter the cost to New Yorkers who work every day.”
The Urban Youth Collaborative organization, which advocates for better options in schools and quality education and services, criticized the double discourse being used by Mayor Adams and asked that in the weeks remaining to finish designing the municipal budget, not en ignore the clamor from students and parents who want safer campuses, less police, and more investment in counselors, social workers, art and sports classes, and after-school programs.
“Mayor Eric Adams says our generation is the future of New York City, but his executive budget paints a completely different picture. The Adams Administration has once again prioritized police over education by cutting the budget for schools. This ignores our calls,” the Youth Collaborative said in a statement. “The mayor’s budget will continue New York City’s unfair trend of funding more school police officers than counselors, social workers or restorative justice coordinators. We shouldn’t see dozens of police officers at my school every day, while it’s nearly impossible to get an appointment with a counselor or therapist.”
Ileana Méndez-Peñate, of the Communities United for Police Reform coalition, lashed out at Mayor Adams for cutting urgent resources for the basic needs of disadvantaged communities, while protecting what she called a “bloated NYPD budget” that affects New Yorkers Black, Latino, immigrant, LGBTQIA+, and other people of color living in over-policed, under-resourced communities.
“We are at a time when New Yorkers are unable to access food stamps, are unable to locate in permanent housing, and are unable to access other vital services because many City agencies and programs are fighting budget cuts imposed by the Mayor already this year”, commented the community leader, urging that the spending plan be restructured for a “fair and moral” budget that invests in health, education, housing, community programs and other critical services.
“Since taking office, the Mayor has made consecutive budget cuts roughly every four months, which continue to strip resources from already struggling agencies and programs and continues to prioritize policing and criminalization over the basic needs of New Yorkers without controlling a budget. already inflated police force of $11,000 million”, he stressed.
The Ombudsman, Jumaane Williams, joined the wave of criticism of the budget presented by the New York mayor and especially does not welcome the fact that he intends to send a speech that divides and singles out certain groups and critics of overspending on the police .
Mayor Eric Adams presenting the 2024 city budget/ Flickr Mayor NYC
“Shame on the mayor for once again creating a false binary to marginalize and villainize legitimate critics. We see this unnecessary us vs. them tactic over and over again. On bail reform, this rhetoric had a disastrous impact both locally and nationally. however, it appears that no lessons were learned, as at multiple points, we have seen it in the characterization of asylum seekers, or in regards to Rikers Island,” Williams said. “This model only serves to fuel harmful narratives that resonate throughout our city and beyond. If you perpetuate falsehoods loudly and often enough, the constituents and voters are bound to believe you. Concern about NYPD overtime is rooted in the reality that the agency is insulated from the constraints faced by other agencies… It is not against the police to say that the NYPD should be held to higher standards. high, if this administration can’t see that, that’s a shame.”
Gregory J. Morris, executive director of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC), warned that New York City’s economic recovery requires immediate access to good-paying jobs and service support for older workers. vulnerable, like schools, higher education, and resourced job training, which you didn’t see in the Mayor’s budget.
“Unfortunately, the Administration’s executive budget, the largest in City history, does not take this approach, choosing instead to identify winners and losers. Until we remedy the disconnected and fragmented education and employment pathways that stifle our post-pandemic recovery, we will continue to see wide unemployment gaps by race and ethnicity,” the activist said. “With half of all New Yorkers struggling to meet basic needs, the City experiencing staggering municipal workforce vacancies, and the human services sector feeling completely left behind, we need to double down on New York’s talent instead of acting like we can give up. the luxury of not doing it.
Even the president of the Municipal Council, Adrianne Adams, and the finance president of the legislative body, Justin Brannan, with whom the mayor will have to negotiate the budget, made serious objections to the spending presented by the president and warned that the future and the economic recovery of the Big Apple depend on how it invests in New Yorkers and essential services.
“It is an undeniable reality that our city agencies responsible for serving New Yorkers are struggling to meet their obligations due to chronic understaffing and inadequate support. This only undermines our recovery and the stability of our neighborhoods as New Yorkers fight to remain in an increasingly unaffordable city,” the political leaders said in a joint statement, warning that the Council will continue to work to approve by July 1, a budget that prioritizes investments in people.
“(Mayor Adams’) executive budget still leaves our libraries facing significant service cuts, damaged essential service agencies, and programs that provide solutions to the City’s most pressing challenges without the necessary investments. Ultimately, New York City needs a responsible budget that effectively and efficiently sets us up for success in meeting the needs of New Yorkers and protecting against future risks,” the council members concluded.
The New York City Federation of Teachers (UFT) was optimistic about the future that public education can have within the budget for the next fiscal year, and warned that it hopes to work with the legislature so that schools have what they want. they need.
“With surplus and reserve funds totaling more than $11 billion, there is room in this budget to better meet the needs of the city,” said Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers. “We will work with the City Council to help see that the city’s final adopted budget provides the appropriate resources for our schools and our families.”