REMARKS
Carmen N. De La Rosa explains her vote on the NYC budget
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157 sec
Council Member Carmen N. De La Rosa explains her vote in favor of the NYC budget for fiscal year 2025, highlighting the council's efforts to restore funding and secure investments in key areas despite the mayor's austerity approach. She emphasizes the need for continued advocacy for deeper investments in social services and addressing root causes of community issues.
- Praises securing $2 billion in capital funding for housing and restoring agency hiring
- Criticizes ongoing agency vacancies and cuts to social safety nets and institutions like CUNY
- Discloses personal associations with entities funded in the budget (NYC Department of Education and Washington Heights Tennis Association)
Carmen N. De La Rosa
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Thank you.
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I would first like to thank speaker Adams our our finance chair and also the finance staff, the council leadership, as well as the budget negotiating team for their leadership and dedication to producing a budget for working people despite this mayor's commitment to austerity cuts.
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I would also like to take take a moment to thank my colleagues, especially the members of the progressive caucus and the various coalitions that we've built.
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As a council over the past few years, we have been committed to producing positive change on the front lines And this year, we worked harder than ever to advance budget protections for early childhood education, higher education, affordable housing, and cultural institutions.
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We must be proud of the headways we have made.
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Fighting and securing $2, 000, 000, 000 in capital dollars for housing that had not previously been available and restoring funding that brings agency hiring and vacancies back into the conversation.
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We look forward to post budget conversations to ensure strong and secure labor standards and new housing on the way.
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This is largely a restorative budget despite our best efforts.
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Agencies continue to lag in hiring and retain large vacancies that delay the delivery of service, a feeling that revert reverberates in our in our everyday constituent services in Washington Heights in my district.
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The mayor continues to cut social safety nets and cut public institutions like CUNY focusing on austerity.
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Asterity, however, does not lead to productive and effective delivery of services and does not meet the realities of those struggling within our district.
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We must shift our mindset from 1 of our duration to 1 of deep investment, especially when communities are still recovering from the gaps created during the COVID pandemic and years of previous disinvestment.
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We all want safe communities.
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But being serious about safety comes when root causes such as housing and security, hunger, workforce development are addressed and not simply through the building of new training centers in our city.
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I will be voting yes on this budget.
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The council will not let up on it let up on its demands until investments reflect positively on the lives of those whom we were sent here to
Amanda FarÃas
0:56:40
strengthen member your time has expired.
Carmen N. De La Rosa
0:56:42
Thank you.
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I'm wrapping up as budget modifications are made throughout the fiscal year.
0:56:46
We know that we will continue to listen to our people and will continue elevate the needs of our communities here in city hall.
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I wanna also disclose for the record of these council proceedings that the New York City Department of Education and the Washington Heights Tennis Association are funded in this budget.
0:57:03
We are adopting, and my child is associated with those entities.
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Thank you.
