Q&A
Discussion on IBSP contract issues and funding challenges
0:32:03
·
170 sec
Council Member Aviles and SBS representatives discuss IBSP contract issues, including the lack of annual COLA increases and the challenges of maintaining funding levels despite rising costs. The exchange reveals tensions between SBS's efforts to protect core funding and the reality of increasing expenses for IBSPs.
- SBS has maintained funding levels for IBSPs but hasn't increased them to match rising costs
- Council Member Aviles points out that static funding effectively means a decrease due to inflation
- The discussion highlights the need for increased funding to support IBSP operations effectively
Alexa Aviles
0:32:03
Great.
0:32:04
That that's very helpful.
0:32:06
In terms of, the contracts, with the RFPs, I guess I was curious about, do the contracts or, actually, why aren't the contracts, including annual COLA increases, like human service provider contracts?
0:32:24
And, also, if you could talk a little bit about how you calculate the the costs associated, with the services that are stipulated in the RFPs.
Kitty Chan
0:32:34
Thank you very much for that question.
0:32:37
I don't know if you were here earlier during our our conversation, but, for a number of years, we've had, you know, the pandemic as well as, a PEGS after that.
0:32:49
What we've always done is we tried to protect we protected our IBSP as well as our BSC contracts to maintain the the funding levels.
0:32:59
We wanted to make sure that they continue to be able to provide our our core services as well to be gateway to our other services for for industrial, businesses.
0:33:10
We yeah.
0:33:14
Thank you.
Alexa Aviles
0:33:18
So you've tried to protect them and haven't been able to do the appropriate increases.
0:33:24
Everything's increasing.
0:33:25
Right?
0:33:25
The the cost of salaries, the cost of goods and services, all of that.
0:33:29
But you haven't been able to maintain that level?
Kitty Chan
0:33:32
No.
0:33:32
We actually have maintained the level for all of them.
0:33:35
We protected them to ensure that the funding level remained the same.
Alexa Aviles
0:33:43
So, I'm sorry.
0:33:45
There's a little contradiction there.
0:33:46
So, costs are all increasing.
0:33:49
Yes.
0:33:50
But they've maintained the same level, which means that they are not increasing appropriately.
0:33:55
Right?
0:33:55
It means that things are still more expensive.
Kitty Chan
0:33:58
Yes.
Alexa Aviles
0:33:58
I understand you're trying to protect the core, but there is still a gap between increasing costs.
Kitty Chan
0:34:05
Right?
0:34:06
Yes.
0:34:06
And, you know, we we can always do more.
0:34:10
We could do more if we were able to, get the funding.
0:34:14
We really do appreciate, the opportunity to speak to council about that.
Alexa Aviles
0:34:19
Yeah.
0:34:20
And the executive could increase that very easily.
0:34:25
I represent a community in Southwest Brooklyn with some of the larger with one of the larger ISPs.
0:34:31
And, you know, they've done incredible, incredible work.
0:34:34
But what we see is they're underwater with the amount of work that they're expected to do, and the changing, you know, changing needs and services.
0:34:43
So, I I really appreciate your attempt to protect the core, but if it's insufficient, it's it undermines the work that we are trying to move forward.
0:34:53
So, thank you for that.
