TESTIMONY
Mame Bousso Kane, Teen Employee from the High Line Teen Employment Program, on the Need for Increased Funding for New York City Parks
6:25:35
·
111 sec
Mame Bousso Kane, a teen employee from the High Line Teen Employment Program, calls for increased funding for New York City parks.
- Kane highlights the personal and community importance of city parks as free spaces for recreation and gatherings.
- Despite having the largest city budget in the country, New York allocates an inadequate percentage to parks compared to other cities.
- Kane argues the budget cuts reflect neglect towards community needs for clean, safe outdoor spaces and job opportunities related to park maintenance.
- Kane urges increasing the parks budget to at least 1% of the total budget to ensure accessible, well-designed parks for all New Yorkers.
Mame Bousso Kane
6:25:35
Good afternoon to the committee chairs and the members of the committee.
6:25:38
My name is Mambus O'Kane, and I'm here with the Highlighting Employment Program.
6:25:42
I'm from the South Bronx, and I've always been a nature kid just like many other kids from the Bronx.
6:25:47
Between work, home, and school, our city parks, are one of our only free emphasis on free, 3rd spaces for us to gather and spend time together.
6:25:55
We hold our parks dear to our hearts as we grew up in these parks coming out to play with friends and cousins, having 4th July barbecues and scraping our knees on the concrete as we fall.
6:26:07
We all have had so many memories and personal connections with these parks.
6:26:11
As most of us live in apartments, New York Parks, are very owner races.
6:26:16
Barbara Lovett parks have been neglected by the city.
6:26:19
While the city is growing and obstacles arise, The city still has the largest city budget in the country.
6:26:25
Yet, the percentage of our operating budget assigned to parks does not compare to other cities.
6:26:30
With this beyond an adequate budget, it is clear to my generation that the people in charge have forgotten about our need for free outer spaces that are clean and safe.
6:26:39
This budget cut does not does not reflect the importance of creating jobs for people like me who would want to learn how to maintain parks and get back to my community.
6:26:49
The parts department manages so much more than just parts.
6:26:52
The care and staffing for pools, recreation centers, beaches, ball fields, and courts has been lacking, leading them to be out of use.
6:27:01
What benefit are these amazing facilities if the people of New York can't enjoy their safe and clean environments?
6:27:06
As your constituent, I'm asking you to increase the city budget to 1% instead of cutting it.
6:27:11
Even though I believe it should be more than that because I believe that we have the budget for it, and as the biggest city in the United States, we should represent and have beautiful parks all over the city that are perfectly designed for our use.
6:27:24
Thank you for your time.
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Angela Padilla, Teen Employee at the High Line Teen Employment Program, on the Need for Increased Funding to Improve Safety and Conditions in New York City Parks
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Joaquin Eleno, Teen Employee at The High Line Teens Employment Program, on the Importance of Adequate Funding for NYC Parks