CPC STATEMENT ON NEW YORK STATE FY 23-24 ENACTED BUDGET 

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

Date: 05/9/23

Press Contacts: Wayne Ho, President & CEO (who@cpc-nyc.org) | 212-941-0920 x 143

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** 

CPC STATEMENT ON THE NYS FY 23-24 ENACTED BUDGET

New York, NY – The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) applauds the recent passage of New York State's $229 billion budget that includes a historic $30 million investment into Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community based organizations. However, the State budget could better promote the well-being of AAPI, immigrant, and low-income communities if deeper investments had been made in services and in workers providing those services.

“From expanding the child tax credit to allocating $391 million in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to restoring the Settlement House Program and investing in public transportation, we are thrilled to see that there are meaningful steps to addressing the growing affordability and accessibility crisis that our communities are facing. Unfortunately, we should not be making compromises and placing valued resources on the chopping block every single year -- from higher wages for home care and human services workers to affordable housing and healthcare programs” said Wayne Ho, President and CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC). “We will continue to work with our community partners and governmental allies to ensure that the implementation of these funds are adequately serving the needs of our communities. We will also continue to advocate for a strong social safety net.” 

CPC is committed to ensuring that our communities are empowered and uplifted by much needed transformative investments. Over the past year, CPC community members as well as human services and home care workers have been tirelessly advocating to ensure that our most underserved communities are not left behind by this budget. We have called for a State budget that ensures home care workers are compensated with liveable wages for their services, immigrant communities who have been excluded from unemployment benefits receive the relief through the unemployment bridge program, and community members regardless of immigration status receive quality health care through Coverage 4 All. 

We want to express our deepest gratitude to all of our staff and community members for their fierce, tenacious advocacy efforts and thank you all of our elected partners for fighting alongside us.   

We are celebrating the wins that we have been advocating for and and will continue this fight so that all of our priorities left out of this year’s budget are included in the future, ensuring that all New Yorkers have a thriving, dignified life.  

Wins:

• As part of the Equity Budget Coalition, we were thrilled to see that a historic $30 million investment was made into AAPI community based organizations to provide linguistically and culturally competent services; 

• $2.45 million was restored for the Settlement House Program;

• The state’s Child Tax Credit will finally include children under the age of four;

• The minimum wage has been increased and will eventually reach $17 per hour by 2025. Due to the rise in the cost of living, we will be fighting alongside community partners and elected officials to ensure a minimum wage of no less than $22 per hour;

• The Emergency Rental Assistance Program has been expanded to support NYCHA residents;

• A Medicaid rate increase plus greater investment in mental health supports; and

• $1 billion will be allocated to support asylum seekers in New York City. 

Shortcomings: 

• The budget includes a 4% COLA for eligible human service workers, which was less than the 8.5% proposed by the Assembly and the Senate. During a time of economic hardship and the rise in demand for services, we need to ensure that our essential workers are fairly compensated; 

• The budget keeps wages for over 300,000 home care workers flat by offsetting the $1.55 per hour wage increase with a $1.55 per hour decrease in wage parity, perpetuating a massive worker shortage when there is a great demand in services; 

• The State failed to invest in our New York by establishing a progressive tax rate that would help generate revenue for essential services; and 

• We were disappointed to see rollbacks to bail reform measures which have been shown to have no correlation to public safety and crime rates, but instead will perpetuate the criminal justice system’s disproportionate and historically targeted harm on Black and Brown New Yorkers.

ABOUT CPC: The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) is a social services organization that creates positive social change. Founded in 1965, CPC is the nation's largest Asian American social services organization and aims to promote the social and economic empowerment of Chinese American, immigrant, and low-income communities of New York City. CPC is the trusted partner to individuals and families striving to achieve goals in their education, family, community, and career. 

關於華策會: 華人策劃協會（簡稱“華策會”）是一個致力於創造正向社會變革的社會服務機構。華策會成立於1965年，是美國最大的亞裔美國人社會服務機構，旨在促進紐約市華裔美國人，移民，及低收入社區的社會權益和經濟賦權。華策會是為實現其 教育，家庭，社區及職業目標而努力的個人和家庭可信賴的機構。

ACERCA DE CPC: El Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) es una organización de servicios sociales que crea un cambio social positivo. Fundada en 1965, CPC es la mayor organización de servicios sociales asiático-americanos del país y su objetivo es promover la capacitación social y económica de las comunidades chino-americanas, inmigrantes y de bajos ingresos de la ciudad de Nueva York. CPC es el socio de confianza de más de 60.000 personas y familias que se esfuerzan por alcanzar objetivos en su educación, familia, comunidad y carrera.