New York City is in a budget crisis, and cuts need to be made. But the proposed New York City budget cuts large chunks of aid to low-income families and children:
We hope Mayor Michael Bloomberg was listening. At present, the city subsidizes child care for 98,000 children. His new budget would end that support for 16,500 of them in September, for a savings of $95 million in the city’s $65.6 billion budget.
Families receiving public assistance or welfare will not be affected. Those losing the subsidies are deemed working poor — with an income of less than 200 percent of the poverty level or $36,620 for a family of three. They pay from $5 to $100 a week for city-sponsored child care. Few will be able to pay the full cost on their own, and, without a safe and educational place for their children, many won’t be able to keep working. Their only option will be welfare.
The kicker is that this could be avoided — “A 6 cent tax on every plastic bag provided at stores would raise $94 million, almost exactly what is needed to maintain current child care subsidies.”
There’s a rally on May 12th to encourage Bloomberg to keep funding families in need, and to not cut funds for the most vulnerable New Yorkers. At the linked site you can sign the petition and make donations. There are also helpful instructions for other actions.