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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Tammy Reed, Representative of Freedom Agenda, on NYC Department of Correction Budget
5:35:01
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Tammy Reed, representing Freedom Agenda and the campaign to close Rikers, testified against the proposed $2.87 billion budget for jail operations in fiscal year 2026. She advocated for reallocating funds from Rikers Island to mental health, housing, and community services, citing the high cost per inmate and her personal experiences with the jail's inadequacies.
- Highlighted the cost of $500,000 per year to house one individual on Rikers Island
- Shared personal experience of her son's inadequate medical care at Rikers despite his severe hemophilia
- Requested an additional $39.8 million for housing and health needs, including supportive housing and mental health treatment teams
Tammy Reed
5:35:01
Hi.
5:35:02
Good afternoon.
5:35:02
Thank you so much for allowing me to testify.
5:35:05
I think I cut it.
5:35:07
Thank you.
5:35:08
My name is Tammy Reed.
5:35:09
I'm testifying on behalf of Freedom Agenda and a member of the campaign to close Rikers.
5:35:14
I want to start off by saying that as a taxpaying citizen, I am astounded by the fact that we are paying a little over $500,000 per year to house one individual on Rikers Island.
5:35:27
I'm a senior citizen.
5:35:28
I live off of less than 25,000 a year with minimal outside assistance and have never missed a meal.
5:35:35
I have adequate housing, utilities paid, so forth.
5:35:38
We can do better than this.
5:35:40
It is my understanding that the mayor has proposed that $2,870,000,000 be spent on jail operations in fiscal year twenty twenty six, and if I'm understanding the budget correctly, this figure is leading up to the time that Rikers should be closed by law, August of twenty twenty seven.
5:35:57
I'm proposing today that this figure be adjusted to be in line with Rikers closing.
5:36:02
I'm requesting that instead of passing this over bloated budget that the city council adjust the budget to reallocate funds to areas where we truly do need funding such as mental health, housing, and community services.
5:36:16
It it just baffles me as to why we keep continuously dumping money into a facility like Rikers Island that is a disgrace and stain on our city instead of addressing the real issues that's plaguing our cities, mental health, housing, and so forth.
5:36:31
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that we're in trouble and that to continuously fund an essentially a non functioning organization such as Rikers is not the answer.
5:36:42
And to give you a clear understanding what I mean by non functioning, my son was incarcerated at Rikers.
5:36:49
He's a severe hemophiliac.
5:36:51
Documentation was submitted to court by Long Island Jewish Hemophilia Center stating what his disease is and how to treat it, which is an infusion every other day or every two to three days.
5:37:02
Did Rikers follow the procedure?
5:37:04
No.
5:37:05
Unfortunately, during this two year period while my son was there, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
5:37:11
After surgery and as I was preparing for chemo, I was warned to be vigilant about my environment and unfortunately because Rikers is filthy and unsanitary, I had to cut off visits to my son.
5:37:25
Just one more sentence.
5:37:26
I would like to see an additional 39,800,000.0 to be addressed to the housing and health needs.
5:37:35
More funding for the justice involved supportive housing, intensive mobile treatment teams, forensic assertive community treatment teams, and monies for a new crisis respite centers in compliance with local law one eighteen twenty twenty three.
5:37:53
Thank you very much.