FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 31, 2015

Statement from Speaker Heastie on New York State Budget


At the start of this budget process, the Assembly Majority pledged to stand strong for New York's families. We pledged to fight for a responsible spending plan that would make critical investments in the education of our students, address the homelessness crisis facing our communities and to give working families the resources they need to achieve financial independence. Today, I am pleased to announce that we have reached a final budget agreement that will take meaningful steps to deliver on that promise.

This spending plan provides $1.6 billion in funding support for our public schools, an historic commitment which will put our students on the path to success from the very beginning. It also funds our Higher Education Road to Success initiative to ensure that young men and women have the opportunity to develop the skills they need to compete in the workforce of tomorrow.

To ease the burdens on working families we have secured more than $14 million for additional child care subsidies and continuing support for child care programs at CUNY and SUNY so that parents can rest assured that their children are in safe and nurturing hands while they work to advance their education.

We provide critical funding for affordable housing preservation and development so that more New Yorkers can have a safe, affordable place to call home and we fought for and delivered more than $435 million to combat homelessness in our communities.

As I have said before, the priorities of New York's families are the priorities of the People's House. While we have delivered a fiscally responsible budget to the people of this state, we will also continue to fight for the reforms and investments that will strengthen our families and uplift all New Yorkers.