For Immediate Release: April 2, 2010
New Race Matters Analysis Says Legislature Doesn’t Improve Much On Governor’s Health Care Budget Choices
Analysis Calls for Revenue Alternatives to Stop Health Care and Other Cuts
Senate and Assembly Budgets Also Increase Racial and Ethnic Disparities
Albany, NY – A new update of the Public Policy and Education Fund’s May 23, 2010 “Race Matters” report finds that on balance, like the Executive Budget proposal, both the Assembly and Senate budget proposals passed just over a week ago will have a disproportionately negative impact on the health care outcomes of communities of color and immigrants.
“Our recent Race Matters report found that in several critical areas, including education, higher education, health care and human services, the spending cuts and deferred spending in the budget would make racial and ethnic disparities worse,” said Karen Scharff, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York. “Our new analysis finds that in the health care area, the Assembly and Senate don’t improve much on the Governor’s budget plan, leaving a majority of the cuts to hospitals, nursing homes, home care and other health care institutions in place.”
“The Legislature faces a simple choice – further destroy our economy and our communities with devastating cuts, or choose reasonable revenue alternatives like a one-time bankers’ bonus tax or the stock transfer tax,” Scharff added. “We urge legislators to represent the people of New York, not Wall Street. The Legislature should also pass in the budget regulation of skyrocketing health insurance rates, which not only helps consumers but saves the state money.”
The new PPEF analysis is available here. The original PPEF “Race Matters” report is available here.
Citizen Action of New York is a membership organization that organizes for social, racial, economic and environmental justice, and has seven chapters or affiliates spread across New York State. The Public Policy and Education Fund is a research and education organization concerned with issues of importance to low and moderate income New Yorkers.
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