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            Council Member Robert Holden on allocating budget for veteran services in NYC
0:46:36
·
140 sec
Council Member Robert Holden advocates for a budget allocation for veteran services in NYC during a city council meeting.
- Proposes a member item initiative for veterans, arguing each council member should receive funding for veteran services in their budget.
 - Suggests the allocated funds could support various veteran service organizations, including providing capital for necessary repairs.
 - Calls for a change in penalizing veteran service organizations with fines from the Department of Buildings, advocating for a grace period to correct issues.
 - Expresses intent to discuss support for the initiative with the mayor and highlights a related bill aiming to help veteran service organizations address violations.
 
                                
                                    Robert Holden
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:46:36
                                        
                                        And on that subject, Council member.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:46:38
                                        
                                        We're trying as a committee to try to get a member item initiative for veterans.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:46:45
                                        
                                        That means whatever the amount, it could be 10000, it could be 50,000, but each council member gets right now.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:46:53
                                        
                                        We get money for various populations in our district.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:46:59
                                        
                                        And and around the city.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:02
                                        
                                        Immigrants, we get pot a pot of money there for immigrant services.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:08
                                        
                                        Obviously, we get money for for our schools.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:12
                                        
                                        What we should get in my I would start at 50,000.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:16
                                        
                                        We should get $50,000 in our budget for veteran services.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:23
                                        
                                        That's a no brainer in my book.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:24
                                        
                                        And I think most of the committee, I think everyone here agrees that that should be and and and the money could be used for various things.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:33
                                        
                                        So we're going to talk to the mayor about helping out with that area.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:37
                                        
                                        At least put to if it is brought up in the budget that the mayor supports that.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:41
                                        
                                        So let's say veteran service organizations, they would get money to help even with and I'm hoping that it could even go for capital.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:49
                                        
                                        But that that's important to to fix some of the veteran service organizations that are suffering now.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:58
                                        
                                        Even to go so far, and we do have bills on this, by the way, for actually helping them, when they get, let's say, a fine from the DOB Department of Buildings, that we give them a period to correct the situation rather than a fine because that's like sometimes a nail in the coffin for some of these veteran service organizations.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:21
                                        
                                        They're just staying, you know, with their trying to say with their heads above water at this point.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:25
                                        
                                        And now we're we're penalizing them for some violation obscure violation in Department of Buildings.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:31
                                        
                                        But why what's the advantage of do we need the money for from our better services organizations know.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:38
                                        
                                        And we shouldn't expect that.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:39
                                        
                                        We should actually correct the situation, help them to correct it, walk them through it, and give them more time.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:46
                                        
                                        That bill is also lingering, and I hope this committee can hear that in the near future.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:52
                                        
                                        We've been joined by counsel of our nurse, I just Well, I