FPWA Statement on the New York State Budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 18, 2019, New York, NY – “Once again, the Governor and State Legislature have intentionally overlooked hundreds of thousands of human services workers by refusing to fund the minimum wage increase and continuing to deny them a cost of living adjustment, to which they are entitled to under state law. Moreover, the budget neglects to include funding for families and individuals on the verge of eviction through the Home Stability Support program and delivers only half the needed investment of $40 million to ensure that all communities are counted in the 2020 Census. While Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature have delivered a timely budget that includes progressive reforms such as the elimination of cash bail for those charged with misdemeanors as well as non-violent felonies, the failure to include investments in the human services workforce contradicts the Governor’s progressive and women’s justice agenda. At FPWA, we are committed to a vision of equity that encompasses all, not just some, and remain vigilant in our efforts to achieve this vision.”

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About FPWA

FPWA is an anti-poverty policy and advocacy organization committed to economic opportunity and upward mobility. Having a prominent New York presence for nearly 100 years, FPWA has long served New York City’s social service sector, providing grants to help individuals and families meet their basic needs, and advocating for fair public policies on behalf of people in need and the agencies that serve them. FPWA’s member network of 170 human-service and faith-based organizations reaches more than 1.5 million people in New York’s communities each year. Join us at: fpwa.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.