More Than 100 New York Nonprofits Call on NYS Legislators to Reject Proposed Federal Budget Cuts
September 8, 2017 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 8, 2017
Media Contact:
Ron Deutsch, Executive Director, FPI
518-469-6769
MORE THAN 100 NEW YORK NONPROFITS CALL ON NYS LEGISLATORS TO REJECT PROPOSED FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS
Coalition Highlights Devastating Impact of Cuts on New York Families
Read the Letter Here
More than 100 nonprofit human services organizations from across the state are calling on legislators to reject proposed federal cuts to social services programs. Organizations from Buffalo to Binghamton to Brooklyn signed on to letters that were sent to New York’s Congressional delegation, warning that these cuts would devastate core public services that provide New Yorkers in need with vital support.
The 2018 budget resolution passed by the House Budget Committee in July would force billions of dollars of cuts to programs that help New Yorkers put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. The budget includes a historical disinvestment in programs serving low and moderate-income people like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid, Workforce Development, Housing, and the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits.
The coalition of nonprofit organizations lays out a commonsense, three-pronged approach that would ensure budgetary decisions are made with the best interests of all New Yorkers in mind. First a budget must not cut programs that help struggling families afford basic needs. Next, a budget must not allow cuts to assistance programs as a mechanism for offsetting tax cuts. Finally, any tax legislation must be revenue neutral, rather than deficit neutral.
The letter also calls on legislators to form bipartisan consensus to reverse the sequestration cuts that are set to be enacted in 2018. In previous years, legislators from both parties have come together to reduce harmful sequestration cuts. For this year’s budget, the human services organizations are requesting the elimination of these cuts.
“This deeply disturbing budget proposal would jeopardize the well-being of individuals and families across the country, while paving the way for massive tax cuts for the wealthy,” said Allison Sesso, Executive Director of the Human Services Council. “We all thrive when our communities have access to fundamental services. Now more than ever, we need our elected officials to stand up and protect these core public services by crafting a budget that reflects New York’s best values.”
“Our members of Congress need to understand that providing tax cuts to the wealthiest while cutting services to those that need them the most is a recipe for disaster for both our country and our state,” stated Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute. “These devastating cuts would result in massive reductions in services for the poorest New Yorkers and shift billions in costs to our state budget.”
“Slashing education, health, safety, and infrastructure investments, especially for Americans in need, to unprecedented low levels just to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest is unconscionable,” said FPWA CEO and Executive Director Jennifer Jones Austin. “At a time when so much is at stake, the New York delegation must stand in opposition to the currently proposed budget and ensure that one reflective of our collective values is crafted to replace it.”
“The proposed budget cuts are a direct threat to the services that over 700,000 New Yorkers depend on settlement houses for,” said Susan Stamler, Executive Director of United Neighborhood Houses. “By supporting our NYC neighbors with programs such as education, job readiness, and citizenship, as well as building up our communities with services including public housing, rental assistance, and food access, settlement houses are doing their fair share in lifting up our neighbors. We need our government to do their fair share as well by investing in these programs.”
# # #
More Than 100 New York Nonprofits Call on NYS Legislators to Reject Proposed Federal Budget Cuts
September 8, 2017 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 8, 2017
Media Contact:
Ron Deutsch, Executive Director, FPI
518-469-6769
MORE THAN 100 NEW YORK NONPROFITS CALL ON NYS LEGISLATORS TO REJECT PROPOSED FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS
Coalition Highlights Devastating Impact of Cuts on New York Families
Read the Letter Here
More than 100 nonprofit human services organizations from across the state are calling on legislators to reject proposed federal cuts to social services programs. Organizations from Buffalo to Binghamton to Brooklyn signed on to letters that were sent to New York’s Congressional delegation, warning that these cuts would devastate core public services that provide New Yorkers in need with vital support.
The 2018 budget resolution passed by the House Budget Committee in July would force billions of dollars of cuts to programs that help New Yorkers put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. The budget includes a historical disinvestment in programs serving low and moderate-income people like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid, Workforce Development, Housing, and the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits.
The coalition of nonprofit organizations lays out a commonsense, three-pronged approach that would ensure budgetary decisions are made with the best interests of all New Yorkers in mind. First a budget must not cut programs that help struggling families afford basic needs. Next, a budget must not allow cuts to assistance programs as a mechanism for offsetting tax cuts. Finally, any tax legislation must be revenue neutral, rather than deficit neutral.
The letter also calls on legislators to form bipartisan consensus to reverse the sequestration cuts that are set to be enacted in 2018. In previous years, legislators from both parties have come together to reduce harmful sequestration cuts. For this year’s budget, the human services organizations are requesting the elimination of these cuts.
“This deeply disturbing budget proposal would jeopardize the well-being of individuals and families across the country, while paving the way for massive tax cuts for the wealthy,” said Allison Sesso, Executive Director of the Human Services Council. “We all thrive when our communities have access to fundamental services. Now more than ever, we need our elected officials to stand up and protect these core public services by crafting a budget that reflects New York’s best values.”
“Our members of Congress need to understand that providing tax cuts to the wealthiest while cutting services to those that need them the most is a recipe for disaster for both our country and our state,” stated Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute. “These devastating cuts would result in massive reductions in services for the poorest New Yorkers and shift billions in costs to our state budget.”
“Slashing education, health, safety, and infrastructure investments, especially for Americans in need, to unprecedented low levels just to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest is unconscionable,” said FPWA CEO and Executive Director Jennifer Jones Austin. “At a time when so much is at stake, the New York delegation must stand in opposition to the currently proposed budget and ensure that one reflective of our collective values is crafted to replace it.”
“The proposed budget cuts are a direct threat to the services that over 700,000 New Yorkers depend on settlement houses for,” said Susan Stamler, Executive Director of United Neighborhood Houses. “By supporting our NYC neighbors with programs such as education, job readiness, and citizenship, as well as building up our communities with services including public housing, rental assistance, and food access, settlement houses are doing their fair share in lifting up our neighbors. We need our government to do their fair share as well by investing in these programs.”
# # #