New York, NY – On Friday, June 14, 2019, Council Progressive Caucus Members joined Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Corey Johnson as the City reached an agreement on the FY20 budget which included critical investments in Progressive Caucus priorities such as a path to salary parity to be achieved by the summer, and a minimum reimbursement rate to adequately fund human service contracts.
Every year, the Progressive Caucus works to ensure a fair budget that strengthens core City services while supporting programs that protect our most vulnerable residents. A number of these initiatives were secured with the City Council’s vote to pass a balanced Fiscal Year 2020 Budget that includes items that address the needs of marginalized communities and low income New Yorkers. The Progressive Caucus is proud that this year’s budget includes a wide range of items that were a top priority for progressives in New York.
Now, as the City has reached on agreement for salary parity for early childhood educators, these early education teachers working in community organizations, many of them women of color, will be able to earn fair pay to support their own families, and New York City children will continue to have the support they need to succeed and grow.
The FY20 Budget also included an agreement to increase the indirect rate paid in City contracts to nonprofits for service programs. These organizations provide millions of New Yorkers frontline services to improve their quality of life and gain access to opportunity. With this agreement, New York City has taken an important step forward to making sure that the New Yorkers that educate our children and organizations that provide critical supports to our families and neighbors are given the resources they need to continue their important work.
The Progressive Caucus will be looking closely at these and other budget areas, including legal defense for immigrants facing deportation or detention, that we and others have advocated for over past months when the more detailed budget is released on Monday.
Our members appreciate the leadership of Council Member Keith Powers, Vice-Chair for Budget Advocacy for the Progressive Caucus, and the critical partnership and leadership of Speaker Corey Johnson and Finance Committee Chair Danny Dromm, whose negotiations with Mayor de Blasio made these achievements possible, as well as the Council Finance staff, lead by Latonia Mckinney. The crucial and historic investments made in innovative public services this year would not be possible without these key leaders.