Assemblyman Mike Miller's Statement on the Assembly Budget

“Working off of the governor’s plan – and accepting 95.5 percent of his spending reductions – the Assembly addresses the state’s budget problems, while also protecting vital programs hardworking New Yorkers rely on. Our budget restores Title XX funding for our senior centers, funding for EPIC, and Summer Youth Employment Programs. These programs are vital to the economic recovery of our state and we believe they should be spared. The Assembly also extended the Millionaires Tax, because in these difficult economic times millionaires and billionaires should pay their fair share in this recovery. I believe it is a good budget and hope to see it approved by both the Senate and the Governor.”

Senator Addabbo: "Our Seniors Should Not Be Used As Tools of The City & State Budget Negotiations...

NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Queens), a member of the Senate’s Committee on the Aging, today released the following statement on the proposed transfer of Title XX funds from senior centers to children’s programs:

Our growing senior population has enough to worry about these days, and I believe it was wrong for the mayor to release the list of possible senior center closures and use our seniors as tools of the budget negotiations with the state.

Our senior centers do not have to close, regardless of the amount of money the City receives from the state budget. If the City collects the outstanding liens and judgments owed to it and alters its outside contracting practices, it would have more than enough money to keep the senior centers open. By simply utilizing our city workers more efficiently, the realized savings would more than pay for the centers. For example, if the City used its sheriffs more than the outside marshalls, it would witness significant savings.

I also intend to continue my efforts to ensure that the Title XX funding in our state budget is used for the purposes of retaining our senior centers.

We have a growing senior population that should be respected, not used as victims by the City or State during budget negotiations.