As Governor Hochul drags out the process to prioritize billionaire special interests, advocates are counting on legislative leadership to block cuts and rollbacks, and secure investments for New York communities
ALBANY, NY—Nine days into the new fiscal year and with no new budget in sight, New Yorkers from across the state headed back to Albany to remind the legislature and Governor Hochul that they work for their constituents and must invest in working-class communities, not billionaire special interests.
“A late budget is not an excuse to let the affordability crisis continue growing and drive more working-class New Yorkers to neighboring states,” said Invest in Our New York Campaign Manager Carolyn Martinez-Class. “Governor Hochul is completely out of step with working-class families, and we need legislators to deliver for their constituents. Every New Yorker deserves a permanent, affordable place to call home. Every New York student deserves a small classroom, a full stomach, and a guidance counselor to turn to. Senate and Assembly leadership must keep fighting for the investments our communities need and refuse to enact any cuts and rollbacks put forth by the Governor and her wealthy real estate donors.”
While negotiations continued behind closed doors, advocates chanted and sang in front of the Senate and Assembly chambers, demanding lawmakers deliver for their constituents, and forecasting accountability in this year's elections if working-class communities are left out of the FY2025 budget. Advocates were arrested while chanting to make their voices heard in front of Governor Hochul’s office.
As inequality grows across the state, Governor Hochul is proposing an eviction bonus for landlords: weakening rent stabilization to transfer billions of dollars in increased rents to pad real estate’s pockets. She is also proposing a tax exemption for luxury homes, while refusing to invest in services like rental assistance vouchers or money for public housing.
New Yorkers are demanding an FY2025 budget that rejects Governor Hochul’s proposed cuts and rollbacks to renter protections and instead provides $250 million for the Housing Access Voucher program, invests in rehabilitating unsafe public housing units, fully funds public schools, and increases access to high-quality, affordable healthcare.
"Amidst the worst housing crisis New Yorkers have seen in a generation, Governor Hochul's real estate backers are demanding eviction bonuses for elderly rent stabilized tenants and fighting to preserve their ability to evict unregulated tenants at will. Every New Yorker, no matter who their landlord is or how many buildings they own, deserves a safe and stable home. State leaders can't go home without statewide tenant protections and funding rental assistance to house New Yorkers," said Cea Weaver, Coalition Director of Housing Justice for All.
Julissa Bisono, Co-Director of Organizing at Make the Road New York, said "The New York State budget is now nine days late. It is late because Governor Hochul is holding up the budget in an attempt to score wins for billionaires and their special interest, especially that of the real estate board. Once again neglecting the needs of working-class people and leaving us to fend for ourselves. Today, we visited the Senate, the Assembly and the Governor to demand a just final budget - one that reject’s Hochul’ proposed cuts, rejects rollbacks to the 2019 rent laws, and invests in our communities. We are calling on the Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie to hold the line for our communities and pass a budget New Yorkers deserve.”
“Fully funding Foundation Aid and updating its formula to meet the diverse needs of communities statewide is a moral imperative. Pushing back on cuts should not have been a fight only six months after public schools were fully funded. Nor should there have been a fight to convince the governor that early education is essential and needs investment. Yet, here we are. Through the IONY campaign, we can harness resources in excess of $40 billion and reject budget cuts at the expense of children and working families. New York State must invest in essential public services such as education, child care, housing, health care, re-entry rights, and environmental justice. We urge the Senate and Assembly to hold the line; investing in our schools and permanently investing in our child care workforce is a strategic investment in our collective future,” said Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, Co-Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education.
“Governor Hochul continues to pay lip service to the affordability crisis while negotiating a budget that protects corporations and the ultra-wealthy from paying their fair share in taxes. We need the State Senate and Assembly to hold the line and deliver a budget that invests in our public schools, includes strong tenant protections, and keeps families in their homes." - Jasmine Gripper, Co-Director of the New York Working Families Party.
“Governor Hochul has yet again forced a late budget in her neoliberal effort to raise costs and cut services for New Yorkers. While New York’s affordability crisis continues to spiral out of control, the Governor continues to give deference to her biggest donors: billionaires and real estate developers. Not only will the budget be late, but if Hochul has her way New Yorkers can count on school cuts and more luxury real estate instead of affordable housing. It’ll be a double whammy for New Yorkers if we get a budget that is both late and lame,” said Michael Kink, Executive Director of Strong Economy for All.
“The Governor has moved in lockstep with the richest New Yorkers, said Jawanza Williams, Director of Organizing with VOCAL-NY. “We need the legislature, especially Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie, to follow the lead of poor and working-class New Yorkers toward taxing the richest to fund public services we desperately need.”