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Brannan addresses threats to NYC budget from Trump administration
0:05:16
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91 sec
Council Member Justin Brannan expresses deep concern about the threat posed by the Trump administration to New York City's budget. He highlights the potential impact of federal funding cuts and criticizes the city administration's apparent lack of a plan to fight back against these threats.
- Approximately 9% of the city's budget comes from federal funds
- Brannan emphasizes that cuts would affect real New Yorkers, especially in areas like emergency food assistance, housing, and health care
- He criticizes the city's response to the recent $80 million FEMA funding clawback as 'boneless' and calls for stronger leadership against federal attacks
Justin Brannan
0:05:16
We have an elephant in the room today that has to be addressed.
0:05:20
The council is deeply concerned about the the threat the Trump administration and Doge posed to New York City.
0:05:27
About 9% of the city's budget comes from federal funds.
0:05:30
If even a small fraction of that were cut, there would be a hole in our budget that would make the titanic iceberg blush.
0:05:38
Let's be clear, we're not just talking about numbers on a page.
0:05:41
These cuts are going to hit real New Yorkers hard, especially when it comes to emergency food assistance, housing, and health care.
0:05:49
What equally troubling is the apparent lack of a plan from city hall to fight back.
0:05:54
The recent $80,000,000 FEMA funding clawback that the speaker mentioned is a perfect example of how compromised our city's position has become by an administration that is unwilling to push back or even criticize Donald Trump.
0:06:08
When it was time to challenge this illegal seizure of funds, city hall allegedly dumped the problem onto the laps of rank and file staffers trying to force them to sign documentation to file a lawsuit.
0:06:19
This kind of paralysis is unacceptable and could be cataclysmic for the budget.
0:06:24
New York City has never backed down from a fight, but right now the response feels particularly boneless.
0:06:30
We need leadership that will stand firm against these attacks on our resources and our values and not be afraid to upset a petulant president.
0:06:38
We've got enough to worry about right here in our own backyard to be fighting over whether or not we need to stand up to Washington when they are very clearly out to punish the city Of New York.