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Q&A
Clarification on paratransit funding and state budget impact
1:46:53
ยท
120 sec
Director Jiha explains the city's current and potential future obligations for paratransit funding, highlighting the impact of the governor's proposed budget. Council Member Brooks-Powers seeks clarification on the preliminary budget's provisions for these costs.
- The city currently assumes a $165 million obligation for paratransit in the plan
- If the governor's budget is enacted as proposed, the city would need to find an additional $165 million annually
- The preliminary plan does not include funding for the potential extension of this obligation
- The administration is lobbying against this change and welcomes council advocacy in Albany
Jacques Jiha
1:46:53
The obligation for the paratransit is about a hundred and $65,000,000 that we currently have assumed in our plan.
1:47:00
And if the governor's budget is is enacted as is, the city is gonna have to find a hundred and $65,000,000 more, okay, to backfill that hundred and $65,000,000 because all along, the plan was this was done for two years and would expire this year.
1:47:23
But, unfortunately, it's included in the governor's budget.
1:47:26
It extended forever.
Selvena Brooks-Powers
1:47:28
So just to go back to that question, what funding was included in the preliminary plan to address those costs assuming that we have a The
Jacques Jiha
1:47:36
preliminary plan does not because the preliminary plan came out before the executive budget, the governor's budget.
Selvena Brooks-Powers
1:47:41
Understood.
Jacques Jiha
1:47:42
So we we knew that it was gonna expire, so therefore, we never, you know, come up with city resources to backfill to make up for this $165,000,000 So therefore, again, we're in conversation with the state.
1:47:57
We're lobbying.
1:47:57
We welcome your advocacy in Albany as well for this because these are city resources that will be taken from us forever because they're extending it indefinitely.
1:48:08
Hundred and $65,000,000 a year.
1:48:10
That's lot resources.
1:48:12
So, again, we're pushing back on the state, but we, again, welcome all of you to advocate on our behalf because it is resources that we currently have in the budget that we're also gonna have to make up, not just the $1,000,000,000 for these armscales.
1:48:30
We also have to make up for this.
1:48:32
So it's a lot of cost shift unto us.
1:48:35
And but, again, we're still working with the governor and with our people, and, hopefully, we'll come to a resolution and get some resources from the state.
Selvena Brooks-Powers
1:48:47
The other questions?
Jacques Jiha
1:48:49
Oh, what else?
1:48:49
What was the other question again?
Selvena Brooks-Powers
1:48:51
No.
1:48:51
Can you answer the other questions?