Assembly Determined to Achieve Justice in Budget,
Provides Antidote to IDC-Empowered Party of Trump
Raise the Age Helps Children, Strengthens Our Communities
Governor Cuomo & Republican/IDC Senate Leave Students Behind, Short-Change NY’s Economy & Protect Wealthy
Albany, NY – In response to the final state budget package, Karen Scharff, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York, said:
“This budget process was undermined by racist coded language and failed trickle-down economics from Senate Republicans who are empowered by the IDC, and by a Governor who was more focused on a power grab than on ordinary New Yorkers.
“Thanks to grassroots organizing and the Heastie-led State Assembly, New York State took a step into the future by raising the age of criminal prosecution, and providing additional foundation aid. Better funded schools will mean more students graduating and fewer kids in the school to prison pipeline. By preventing Governor Cuomo from gutting the Foundation Aid formula, the Assembly gave students a better chance at fully funded schools in the future.
“But, let’s be honest, this budget falls far short. New York had a chance to provide progressive leadership by making millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share, fully funding our schools, funding child care and protecting New Yorkers from the severe threats coming from D.C. Instead the Governor and Senate Republican-IDC coalition failed to expand the millionaires tax, putting the interests of billionaires above those of ordinary New Yorkers.
Instead of preparing to protect our communities from Trump’s budget cuts, the Governor set up a scheme to fast-track future state cuts, the exact opposite response necessary or expected from progressive leaders.”
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