REMARKS
Lynn Schulman explains her vote on the NYC budget
1:34:24
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118 sec
Council Member Lynn Schulman expresses strong support for the fiscal year 2025 budget, highlighting the council's investments in various areas and praising the budget's robustness and inclusivity. She emphasizes the significance of baselined items and a new process for restructuring problem program areas.
- Schulman notes investments in housing, education, libraries, older adults, culture, HIV/AIDS, composting, and parks.
- She highlights a new working group established with the administration to address pre-K and 3-K slots, including those for children with disabilities.
- Schulman acknowledges the leadership of Speaker Adrienne Adams, Finance Chair Justin Brannan, and various staff members for their work on the budget.
Lynn Schulman
1:34:24
Thank you.
1:34:25
When I started out in politics, a wise political mentor of mine once said to me, you can't cut you way out of a deficit.
1:34:31
You have to invest and invest is what this city council did on many fronts.
1:34:35
And I don't know if friends been on many fronts.
1:34:37
Including housing and education.
1:34:39
Prior to becoming a council member, I worked for nearly a decade as a council staffer for members and then the speaker's office, During those years, I worked on many budgets and don't recall any being as robust and inclusive as the budget we are about to pass.
1:34:52
For fiscal year 25, the council was able to restore and enhance funding beyond anyone's expectations for libraries, education, including our public schools and CUNY, older adults, culture not, housing, HIV AIDS, composting parks and so much more.
1:35:05
In addition, this budget has an unprecedented number of items that are now baselined, meaning that they will become a permanent part of the budget in future years.
1:35:13
That is a huge investment.
1:35:15
While there are many details that you will hear about in the days to come a unique aspect of this budget, is that a process has been established between the council and the administration to restructure problem program areas to ensure New York has received the services they need and deserve.
1:35:29
1 specific area is pre and 3 k slots, including slots for kids with disabilities, where a council working group has been established with the administration to ensure that every request for a slot is matched and located near where our young constituents live.
1:35:42
Our budget wins would not have been possible without the extraordinary leadership of speaker Adrian Adams and his team, especially Jeremy John and Pfizer Ali.
1:35:50
And by the way, it's pronounced Pfizer.
1:35:54
The hard work of the finance team the hard work of the finance team headed by the incomparable, Richard Lee, a finance chair, Justin Brandon, and my colleagues, especially my BNT teammates.
1:36:05
Lastly, I wouldn't be able to do any of this without the amazing work and patience of my staff, particularly chief of staff, Jonathan Boucher, my budget director, Kevin Mclear, and I also want to welcome Avi Dayton my Simon Wiesenthal intern for the summer who was here today.
1:36:20
With that, I vote iron ore.