CPC STATEMENT ON THE NEW YORK CITY FY21 ADOPTED BUDGET

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** 

Date: 7/1/2020 

Press Contacts: Carlyn Cowen, Chief Policy and Public Affairs Officer (ccowen@cpc-nyc.org | (919-637-6866) 

CPC STATEMENT ON THE NEW YORK CITY FY21 ADOPTED BUDGET

During a difficult budget year that coincided with an unprecedented national conversation about public health, economic inequity, and racial justice, the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) is grateful to the City Council for fiercely standing up for their values and fighting for needed restorations in New York’s most marginalized communities. We acknowledge the Mayor and City Council for the restorations in the FY21 Budget to youth programs, senior services, and discretionary funding. In particular, CPC greatly appreciates the Council Members who restored discretionary funding for our programs that will continue to support youth, seniors, immigrants, and families.

However, much more remains to be done to bring accountability and justice for Asian American and immigrant communities, Black and Brown New Yorkers, low-income families, and the organizations that serve them. Because of the pandemic and resulting economic downturn, CPC had hoped to see the City move beyond simple recovery and instead deeply invest in the social safety net. Communities of color, immigrants, and low-income New Yorkers were hardest hit by COVID-19, but the adopted budget did not invest additional resources into the human services organizations supporting these communities. The overwhelming public call to cut funding from the NYPD was instead met with budget item transfers and shuffling, so the FY21 budget did not reduce over-policing of our communities and did not reinvest in human services for our communities to thrive. Unfortunately, on July 1st, many human services workers will find themselves without work, many community members will find themselves without essential services, and many communities will continue to be over-policed.

Nonprofit human services workers continue to be on the frontlines of this crisis, meeting community needs from food access and home care to eviction prevention and child care. The City has a responsibility to invest in the workforce that is essential to not only its immediate recovery but also its future resiliency. Human services workers are always essential, having risked their own health and their families’ health to serve others through COVID-19 and beyond. We look forward to working with the Mayor’s Office and City Council to invest in human services organizations and workers meeting evolving and emerging community needs. 

About CPC
The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) is the nation's largest Asian American social services organization. Founded in 1965, CPC aims to promote the social and economic empowerment of Chinese American, immigrant, and low-income communities of New York City.

華人策劃協會(華策會)是全美國最大的亞裔美國人及太平洋島民社區服務機構.成立於1965年,華策會專門為紐約市的華裔美國人,移民,和低收入民眾提供金融權力和社區服務.