CPC Statement on the NYC FY2022-2023 Adopted Budget

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

Date: June 14, 2022

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

New York, NY – New York City passed a historic $101 billion budget last night. The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) is delighted to see critical investments that were made into human and legal service providers, the restoration of community schools, and funding for anti-hate violence programs. We are disappointed the budget missed the mark on a number of key issues that are needed for a just pandemic recovery, including deep cuts to the Department of Education. 

CPC is pleased to see a $60 million investment in a much-needed workforce investment for the human services sector, and looks forward to working with the Mayoral Administration and City Council to ensure it is implemented quickly and funded continuously.and to raise human services wages to a minimum of $21/hour. CPC applauds the expansion of the AAPI Community Support Initiative for Asian-led and Asian-serving organizations to provide direct services, mental health support, youth programs, racial literacy, and other culturally competent services during these challenging times. We encourage the City Council to quickly designate this funding to community-based organizations as intended, particularly to smaller organizations that are often left out of the budget and serve emerging populations. 

CPC is glad to see that this budget has fully doubled Adult Literacy programs. Over 40 organizations including CPC provide Adult Literacy programs to support literacy, high school equivalency, and civics education for adults. We also applaud the $10 million investment in the Care for All Families campaign that ensures that all children including undocumented children have access to the care that they deserve. It is crucial that our immigrant communities are supported and empowered, and we are glad to see that the City Council and Mayor are taking steps in supporting the positive development of children of all backgrounds and the childcare needs of working parents.

However, we are disappointed that the deep investments that advocates have called for to ensure an equitable and just budget were not entirely met. Critical investments in the human services sector, homeless services, housing preservation and development, and more were left out of the budget while the budgets for the NYPD and the Department of Corrections have increased. In addition to budget cuts to the Department of Education, we are seeing that housing funding will also be cut by $1 billion in the midst of a historic housing crisis affecting our communities all across the city. This budget has failed to meet the needs of our most vulnerable populations, including the Asian American community that has the highest rates of poverty and overcrowded housing of all racial groups, and CPC continues to stand in solidarity with human services organizations and other advocates in calling to reallocate funding from over-policing to the social safety net and to prevent crime through community intervention and addressing root causes. 

“We are thrilled to see that the FY23 budget is investing in our AAPI community and the human services sector. Nevertheless, defunding critical programs is not in the best interest of struggling New Yorkers seeking recovery from this pandemic. We are in dire need of deep investments in our public schools, affordable housing, community-based public safety programs, and social safety net that will uplift our most vulnerable communities if we are to ensure a just recovery for Asian Americans and other communities of color, immigrants and low-income New Yorkers,” said Wayne Ho, President & CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC).

As always, CPC greatly appreciates the Council Members who committed discretionary funding for our programs that will continue to support children, youth, seniors, immigrants, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ communities, and families across all 51 Council Districts in the City: Speaker Adams and Council Members Avilés, Brannan, Gutiérrez, Kagan, Krishnan, Menin, Narcisse, Rivera, Schulman, Ung. We look forward to continuing to work with the Mayor’s Office and City Council to ensure meaningful investments in human services organizations and workers who continue to meet persistent and emerging community needs.

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.