FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2012
CONTACT: Mary Tek, Coordinator
212-341-9509 / nyccprogresscaucus@gmail.com
Progressive Caucus Calls on Mayor Bloomberg to Protect Child Care and After-School
NEW YORK, NY — The Progressive Caucus of the New York City Council is extremely troubled that the Mayor’s Preliminary Budget would result in the loss of child care and after-school for 47,000 children.
Substantially cutting child care and after-school programs flies in the face of the values of our Caucus. These cuts will leave low-income working parents who are striving to achieve economic stability with the untenable choice of quitting their jobs or potentially leaving their children in unsafe care while they work. Furthermore, these cuts would stymie the success of the next generation by depriving them of the early childhood education that prepares them for kindergarten, and the after school programs that keep school-age children engaged in safe academic and social activities after the school day ends.
The Progressive Caucus calls on Mayor Bloomberg to include at least $104 million for the Administration for Children’s Services for child-care and $66 million to the Department of Youth and Community Development for after-school programs in the Executive Budget. The children and families of New York City deserve no less.