CPC Statement on the FY2022-2023 NYS Executive Budget
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
Date: January 19th, 2022
Contact: Carlyn Cowen, Chief Policy and Public Affairs Officer | (212) 941-0920 x 153 | ccowen@cpc-nyc.org
New York, NY -- The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) acknowledges Governor Hochul’s proposed historic $216.3 billion State budget for centering the need for a just pandemic recovery and making critical investments in healthcare, education and human services. Given the persistent and emerging needs across the State’s diverse communities, we encourage the Governor’s Office and State Legislature to pass a FY22-23 budget that more fully meets the needs of Asian American & Pacific Islanders (AAPI), communities of color, immigrants, low-income New Yorkers, women, and human services workers.
“We were pleased to see Governor Hochul’s key investments in education and child care, the health care and home care workforce, and a much-needed Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for human services workers. However, with 70% of AAPI community members losing jobs or income during the pandemic, we need a budget that does much more to ensure a just recovery for AAPI, immigrant, and low-income New Yorkers -- from supporting excluded workers and New Yorkers facing eviction, to ensuring Fair Pay for Home Care and Just Pay for human services workers,” said Wayne Ho, President and CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC).
The Executive Budget makes a number of critical investments with $31 billion in education including expanding pre-K, $1 billion for child care, $10 billion for health care, a $25 billion five-year housing plan including preserving affordable units, and a $4 billion investment in our climate. CPC was especially glad to see a 5.4% COLA was included for human services workers, an essential workforce that has gone without a COLA from the State for over 10 years.
Nevertheless, CPC urges the State to uplift our most vulnerable communities by funding and expanding programs like the Settlement House Program, Excluded Workers Fund, Adult Literacy, senior services, and immigrant legal services. CPC also urges the State to invest in our essential workforce through passing Just Pay (an increase in the wage floor of human services workers to $21/hour), supporting Fair Pay for Home Care (increasing the home care minimum wage to 150% of the regional minimum wage), and replacing 24-hour home care shifts with two 12-hour split shifts (A3145/S359). CPC also urge the State to immediately extend the eviction moratorium and dramatically expand the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (and pass good cause eviction). CPC also urges the State to remove the Medicaid cap to increase funding for critical health care services, invest in Coverage for All (extending Essential Plan to undocumented New Yorkers), and pass the New York Health Act. Lastly, CPC urges the State to pass additional revenue raising bills to make sure we can fully invest in a just recovery, rather than relying on one-time Federal funds.
CPC fully supports the People’s Budget as presented by the Black, Hispanic, Puerto Rican and Asian (BPHA) Caucus. CPC looks forward to continuing to work with the Governor's Office and State Legislature to build a FY22-23 budget and pass legislation that allows all New Yorkers to thrive.
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.