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Concerns about federal cuts and inadequate city funding for veterans services
0:03:00
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131 sec
Council Member Holden expresses strong concerns about the inadequate funding for the Department of Veterans Services (DVS) and the impact of federal cuts on veteran programs.
- Highlights areas where NYC veterans lag behind national averages
- Emphasizes the need for increased city funding to address gaps left by federal cuts
- Criticizes the current budget allocation as reflecting a lack of concern for the veteran community
Robert Holden
0:03:00
There are areas where the city's veterans lag behind the national average and the city needs to step up and address this.
0:03:08
And we've said this over and over again in this committee.
0:03:11
Compounding the yearly issues DVS faces with the miniscule budget we are seeing, the new federal administration has already made, you know, huge cuts to health programs, social services, and other veteran specific programs.
0:03:29
While federal funding does not directly fund the budget for DVS, federal programs do provide significant services and support programs to veterans residing in the city.
0:03:43
It is clear the city administration is not giving DVS enough of a budget to fill the gaps left by these federal cuts.
0:03:53
Even before the federal cuts, we have you know, we needed more.
0:03:56
So I strongly feel that we owe it to our city's valued veteran community to do a better job at supporting their specific needs and that meets DVS's needs.
0:04:10
DVS certainly needs adequate funding, which we haven't had ever.
0:04:15
So that I'd like to state, and I think everybody will agree with that.
0:04:19
The budget that the mayor's office wants to allocate clearly reflects its level of concern for our veteran community.
0:04:29
What more tells the story than what you're allocating to DVS?
0:04:32
Allocating to DVFs?
0:04:34
The budget needs to provide more support and more services for our city's veterans, and and it really needs to begin reinforcing itself to fill in gaps left by the federal administration.
0:04:49
I look forward to discussing DVS's budget and operations, budget actions that were included in the preliminary plan, staffing at the agency and the city's support services for veterans, and reviewing DVS's metrics reported in the fiscal twenty twenty five preliminary mayor's management report.
0:05:11
I am particularly interested to hear how DVS is coming up with innovative ways to address the mental health, housing insecurity, employment, and social service needs for our veterans.