New York City Office of the Comptroller

04/24/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/24/2024 13:37

Statement from NYC Comptroller Lander on Mayor Adams’ FY25 Executive Budget

Statement from NYC Comptroller Lander on Mayor Adams' FY25 Executive Budget

April 24, 2024

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander released the following statement on Mayor Adams' Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget:

"The Mayor's $111.6 billion Executive Budget shows signs of a brighter fiscal future for New Yorkers- if we can achieve the strong management needed to deliver it.

"I am encouraged that, with the additional projected revenue of $2.3 billion, New York City will be able to maintain funding for stimulus-funded foundational education programs- like 3K and PreK, Summer Rising, community schools, and shelter-based community coordinators. I'm also pleased to see that the Administration ismore realistically funding the ongoing cost of the current CityFHEPs program, which allows New Yorkers in shelter to obtain permanent housing in an increasingly less affordable market.

"Having successfully advocated together to raise our debt capacity in Albany, the City can now build out our Capital Plan to meet the City's infrastructure needs; now, we must turn to the delivery of on-budget, on-time projects. We also have room given the increased debt capacity to increase capital funding for critical housing development programs called for in the Council's budget response to strengthen the affordable housing stock in New York City. As low-income and working-class New Yorkers struggle to meet their basic needs, we need to invest in new housing for the long term, which will allow those who built New York to stay in New York for generations.

"CUNY-New York's best driver of economic mobility-is still struggling from the impact of the first two rounds of PEGs earlier this fiscal year, which continue to impact student retention, student-faculty ratios, and availability of critical programs. As the Council and Mayor move toward budget adoption, I urge them to restore those cuts.

"I'm also glad that the Administration heard our call for cost containment measures for asylum seekers- rather than continuing to overpay for-profit companies like DocGo as a result of emergency procurement. Our focus must be to help asylum seekers obtain work authorization, get jobs, and achieve genuine self-sufficiency- a far better way of helping them exit shelter than evicting them after 30 or 60 days.

"My team and I look forward to digging further into the numbers to help ensure continued economic growth, a more affordable city, strong fiscal management, and well-run programs and services that contribute to collective thriving for New Yorkers."

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