One Brooklyn
Contact: Jonah Allon, [email protected]; 929-291-8881
“As my administration more closely reviews the budget that both sides of City Hall have agreed to and adopted, there are some clear victories for Brooklyn that deserve highlighting. I’m pleased that we secured more than $45 million in capital funding for projects across our borough that will be announced in the weeks ahead, as well as about $350,000 in programmatic support for our senior centers and $150,000 in operating funds for our mobile shower bus initiative with Brooklyn Community Services. Additionally, we have been able to extend our Extended Use Hardship Waiver Pilot Program into the coming year; I encourage small non-profits to apply for funds while they are still available.
“I join with Mayor de Blasio and the City Council in celebrating a range of meaningful achievements that we fought for in this budget, including Cultural Institutions Group (CIG) designation and funding for the Weeksville Heritage Center, a restoration of library funding, more school social workers, and increased sanitation pickups. It is great to see a long-overdue boost in funding for parks maintenance, as well as increased funding for senior meals — which I will push to be more nutritious. I am grateful that the City is stepping up with the resources we need to properly conduct the 2020 Census, resources that I hope will be in part directed to supplement our #MakeBrooklynCount campaign that focuses on our state’s hardest-to-count county. Additionally, I’m excited that New York City will for the first time fund dedicated academic and life skills coaching for foster youth through age 26; it is important that we keep up the Fair Futures campaign until this initiative is fully funded.
“I will continue to support our community-based organization providers who are in negotiation with City Hall on achieving pay parity for all early childhood educators. I will also speak out more on other budget priorities that have yet to receive the attention they deserve, including Fair Fares for commuters who use Access-A-Ride, funding for school sustainability coordinators, and a greater investment in creating affordable housing for our homeless neighbors in need. Finally, as the size of our City budget passes $90 billion and concerns are raised about a future economic downturn, I urge our agencies to prioritize top-to-bottom assessments of how our bureaucracy can be more efficient and make sure New Yorkers get their money’s worth from government.” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams.
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