Senator Brouk Votes to Pass Senate One-House Budget Resolution

ALBANY, NY - Today, Senator Samra Brouk and her colleagues in the Senate Democratic Majority advanced their one-house budget resolution that would fully fund Foundation Aid and  invest in career and technical education; invest in childcare because it is not only essential for families but serves as an economic development tool that empowers workers and employers alike; and reverse decades of austerity in mental health care, delivering a historic, two-year 5.4% cost of living adjustment for human services workers and a $22 million increase over the Executive Budget Proposal to bring 200 inpatient mental health hospital beds back online.

“Speaking with the families in my district, I hear the same stories from people whether they live in the city of Rochester, in one of our suburban communities, or the more rural parts of our district,” said Senator Brouk. “People are looking for certainty, they are looking for support, and they are looking for hope—and that’s what this budget resolution delivers.”

Investing in Universal Childcare—A Key Economic Development Concern

Senator Brouk is committed to building a brighter future in New York by making transformative investments in our childcare infrastructure. The Senate one-house budget resolution increases the investment in childcare proposed in the Executive Budget Proposal by $250 million, building the foundation for universal child care so more working families have access to affordable and quality childcare, including:

• A historic $4.1 billion investment over four years to reform and expand New York’s child care system:
  • $2.2 billion in SFY 2022-23; 
  • $3.7 billion in SFY 2023-24 and 
  • $4.1 billion in SFY 2024-25 and thereafter.
• Expanding access to subsidized child care statewide for households earning up to 500 percent of the federal poverty level ($138,750 for a family of four), to be phased in over the next three years for children up to five years of age or until the end of their first year of eligibility for kindergarten. 
  • Households with incomes between 300 percent and 500 percent of the federal poverty level would not have co-payments of more than 10 percent of their household income.
• The Senate further proposes to provide workforce stabilization grants to child care providers, and grants for child care infrastructure in both capital funding and assistance with recruitment, training, and retention of child care providers. 
• The Senate directs the Child Care Task Force to develop a plan for achieving free universal child care within four years. 
• Providing $200 million to support the construction, conversion, and rehabilitation of properties to create and expand access to child care.
• Restoring funding for local TANF programs:
  • $5.9 million for the Child Care Facilitated Enrollment Demonstration Projects in New York City and Monroe Counties.

“As our economy continues to recover from COVID-19, we must ensure working parents have the resources they need to return to the workforce,” said Senator Brouk. “By investing in universal childcare, we are not only providing good care for developing young minds but providing families with the peace of mind that their child has a safe place to be during the workday.”

Continued Commitment to Fully Fund Foundation Aid; Investment in Proven Career and Technical Education Programs  

New York teachers and students have endured unprecedented hurdles throughout COVID-19, and Senator Brouk and her colleagues in the Senate Democratic Majority are proposing a groundbreaking funding package that will not only allow schools to properly make up for lost learning time, but will go a long way in shoring up educational discrepancies and leveling the learning playing field. 

The Senate Majority one-house State Budget proposal includes:

• Providing an additional $250 million from the Executive proposal for Universal Pre-Kindergarten, with a full phase-in over two years, and $5 million to hold UPK harmless for enrollment declines due to the pandemic.
• Increasing funding for Career Technology Education (CTE) reimbursement rates by $14 million.
• Providing an additional $50 million for Mental Health grants from the Executive Proposal.
• Adding $19 million for BOCES aid. 
   

“We have taken advantage of several opportunities to put young people and their families at the forefront of this budget resolution, allocating additional funds for Career and Technical Education Programs and expanding the Tuition Assistance Program,” said Senator Brouk. “We must invest in programs proven to comprehensively support students, no matter what their career path, from pre-K through high-school graduation.”

Supporting New Yorkers’ Mental Health Needs

The pandemic has made the importance of a quality mental healthcare system that works for all New Yorkers even more evident. 

The Senate Majority one-house State Budget proposal includes:

• Providing a $22 million increase to support 200 additional mental health inpatient beds.
• Modifying the Executive proposal to establish a 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline system by modifying reporting metrics and ensuring call centers are established in-house. 
• Providing a two year 5.4% cost of living adjustment for human services workers

“As Chair of the Senate Mental Health Committee, I have seen how the pandemic has worsened the problems created by a decade of disinvestment in mental health care services, dismantling inpatient treatment beds, failing to invest in community-based programs and systematically underpaying workers —that’s why securing these investments is so crucial,” said Senator Brouk.