Q&A
Prioritizing programs affected by expiring federal stimulus funds
0:50:08
·
140 sec
Council Member Brannan and Comptroller Lander discuss the challenge of expiring federal stimulus funds and the need to prioritize programs that were funded by these temporary dollars. Lander emphasizes the importance of continued funding for programs that proved valuable during the pandemic.
- Lander suggests a broader national effort to maintain federal funding for beneficial programs initiated during the pandemic
- Top priorities mentioned include 3K, pre-K, and student mental health programs
- The comptroller stresses the need for more data on the effectiveness of student mental health initiatives
Justin Brannan
0:50:08
K.
0:50:08
I wanted to ask, just in your opinion for expiring federal stimulus funds that the council has really maintained that that is our biggest challenge right now.
0:50:21
Not the migrant crisis or the cost related to the migrant influx, but grappling with the expiration of temporary dollars that were used in large part to prop up a bunch of permanent programs that people have now come to rely on.
0:50:36
A number of initiatives particularly in education that were funded with this money, are concerning.
0:50:43
Could you give us in in your idea, in your estimation, what programs would you prioritize for the city to provide funding to?
Brad Lander
0:50:51
Sure.
0:50:52
And I think one thing that does bear saying here is, there ought to be a broader national effort to get the federal government to keep providing funding for programs that we learned in the pandemic are good, but are not just about the pandemic.
0:51:08
Some pandemic funding was for vaccines and testing, but those folks who used it for summer school and expanding 3 k and student mental health, none of those needs are gone now that the pandemic is over, and yet we've all kind of accepted, oh, that's the end of the federal aid.
0:51:24
I guess we can't you know, we won't have federal funding for summer rising 3 k and student mental health.
0:51:31
So, that's I know not the you know, none of us control that, but I, you know, that's how we're in this problem.
0:51:37
We realized how valuable those programs are because we provided them.
0:51:41
And, of course, no one wants to go back once you have those things, but the feds are stopping to provide the money.
0:51:48
I I guess number 1 for me is 3 k and pre k.
0:51:52
Just the data that shows that those are strong investments is really compelling.
0:51:59
I wanna see more outcomes about what we're doing what DOE is doing with the student mental health money.
0:52:04
We know we have a mental health crisis in our with our young people and in our schools, and we need to be spending wisely on that.
0:52:14
I don't think we yet have really good data on what's working there because that's an area we need to spend on, but we need to do it on programs that are working.
0:52:22
I was really glad to see the social workers restored, so I'm glad that that that one is done.
