Senator Dilan Announces Passage of Inner City Youth Employment Program

Brooklyn—State Senator Martin Malavé Dilan (D-Bushwick) announced the passage of a new Inner City Youth Employment Program and Tax credit initiative for the State of New York.  The new program, created within the legislation adopted during extraordinary session on December 7^th,  sets aside $87 million for inner city youth.  The funding is allocated through programs, training funds, and tax credits to deal with the crisis of inner city youth unemployment.

“The current recession has crippled the State of New York’s economy,” Senator Dilan explained. “Our inner city youth are once again one of the most  highly effected and consistently overlooked groups in the state.  Inner city youth are constantly fighting an uphill battle in the face of double digit unemployment numbers.”

The full $87 million package includes a $25 million dollar tax credit for employers who hire unemployed youth between the ages of 16 and 24 for the first six months of this upcoming year, a $37 million job program, and a $25 million workforce training and support program.

“This legislation goes to great lengths to ensure our future workforce gets off on the right foot,” Senator Dilan said. “With the added tax credit incentive for businesses, our inner city youth will not only find employment but gain useful transferable skills while stimulating the economy as a whole.  I’d like to applaud Governor Cuomo for his leadership in putting forth this progressive legislation and congratulate the State of New York for taking this significant step toward ensuring our youth is not left behind.”

Governor Cuomo signed this legislation into law on December 9^th, as Chapter 56 of the laws of 2011.

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