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Concerns over MOIA's budget reduction and closing remarks
3:25:49
·
4 min
Council Member Avilés addresses the overall budget reduction for MOIA's program areas in the FY2026 preliminary budget and provides closing remarks for the main part of the hearing.
- The FY2026 preliminary budget shows a reduction of $7 million in services compared to the FY2025 adopted budget
- Avilés expresses frustration with the lack of concrete answers and the ongoing 'conversations' about budget reductions
- She acknowledges the hard work of MOIA staff while criticizing the mayor's approach to sanctuary city policies
Alexa Avilés
3:25:49
Thank you.
3:25:53
So I think with that, I'm just checking to see if there were any other final questions before we leave you on to the rest of your days.
3:26:18
I think just look again.
3:26:21
So it looks like the fiscal twenty five adopted budget for the areas of Moya's program areas that you manage in fiscal twenty five adopted was total 21,000,349, and the fiscal twenty six preliminary shows a reduction of 7,000,000 in services to fourteen two eighty three.
3:26:48
And so I the theme of today is you're just having conversations about the reduction of 7,000,000.
3:26:59
Given the political climate and the time, I I find it quite frankly absurd that we have to talk about this maintaining a minimal level of funding that is not even scratching the need of our incredible city.
3:27:13
Nevertheless, here we are.
3:27:15
So good luck conversations.
3:27:20
Thank you for your time.
3:27:22
And while I clearly demonstrate enormous frustration with not getting answers and listening to ongoing conversations that are being had.
3:27:34
I know that each of you are working hard and your staff is working hard, and I appreciate that work.
3:27:43
And I appreciate the complexity with which you are doing that work, particularly with a mayor who does not understand what sanctuary city policies and continues to shame the city and immigrant New Yorkers, but seems to be a very happy in your place guy for the Republican Party of the federal government.
3:28:10
So outside of that, I thank you for your work.
3:28:14
I thank you for trying to respond to these questions.
3:28:16
I expect the outstanding questions to be received so that we can have continued and honest deliberations about what is occurring and where there are disconnects and where we can all push harder.
3:28:30
So thank you for your time and your work.
Manuel Castro
3:28:34
Thank you, Chair Aviles, if I may.
3:28:37
I just wanted to express my gratitude for your holding this hearing, for your questions, to all the council members who joined us here today, and to your staff, especially your constituent service staff who often reach out to us.
3:28:50
And I know they're also trying their best and doing everything they can to support our immigrant communities in their neighborhood.
3:28:57
So I I I want to express my gratitude to them.
3:29:00
I want to express gratitude to my staff who are all listening, I'm sure.
3:29:04
I want to shout them out for all their work, their patience, their their just commitment in their heart for this work.
3:29:13
And to all my city colleagues, including our also our also staff and everyone who does this work.
3:29:19
And I also want to say thank you to all the community groups that are here today, especially the impacted individuals that will be testifying.
3:29:27
Know that my team will be listening.
3:29:30
I wanna thank you for your courage to be here and share your concerns and your feedback, and we we wanna take those seriously.
3:29:36
And we're going to be listening and taking notes carefully, I just wanna thank everyone for being here today.
Alexa Avilés
3:29:42
So so thank you, commissioner.
3:29:45
Famous last words was I didn't have any other questions for you, but I do have one.
Manuel Castro
3:29:49
Oh, okay.