Contact: Sophie Ellman-Golan | sophie@jfrej.org

New York, NY – On Sunday, the New York City Council voted 46-3 to approve Mayor Adams’ budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2025. Jews For Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ) released the following statement from member Jim Talbott in response:

“The city budget process is a rigged game, and the budget forced through today is unacceptable. Despite fierce opposition from the public and the Council, Mayor Adams cut at least $65 million from public school services, an estimated $250 million from childcare, and $78 million from CUNY. The budget funds the Homes Now, Homes for Generations proposal at a paltry $140 million, squandering an opportunity to create a new wave of affordable home ownership for generations to come during the greatest housing crisis our city has seen in decades.

“This budget advances Mayor Adams’ ongoing agenda to gut as many crucial city services as possible and criminalize our neighbors. While Adams claims there isn’t enough money for the programs working-class New Yorkers rely on, he is allocating an additional $225 million to build a New York “Cop City” in Queens where the NYPD will train other city enforcement agencies in their abusive, unaccountable practices. 

“We applaud the council members who voted NO on Mayor Adams’ attack on working families: Tiffany Cabán, Alexa Avilés, and Shahana Hanif. We need more champions like them, who will push the Council to use its full powers to push back against the Mayor and fight for New Yorkers. 

“While the Progressive Caucus (PC) did not vote as a bloc against this budget, the PC united around the demand for real investments in childcare and affordable housing that the mayor ultimately refused to fund. Any bright spots and all restored funding in this budget are the result of the tireless efforts of the PC's leadership and everyday New Yorkers who canvassed in their neighborhoods, wrote letters, called their council members, and protested at City Hall. 

“We should not have to claw back scraps year after year; New Yorkers deserve a budget that fully funds the basic things we need to thrive, not one that serves the wealthy few, leaving the rest of us policed and punished. New Yorkers will remember these unpopular and destructive budget cuts in next year's mayoral race, as we look for a leader who will work with the City Council to fund a New York for all, no exceptions.”

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Jews For Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ) is a 6,000-member grassroots organization and the home of New York’s Jewish Left. For over 30 years, JFREJ members have organized alongside our neighbors to transform New York from a playground for the wealthy few into a real democracy, free from all forms of racist violence.