Take Action Now to Protect Funding for Senior Centers and Aging Services

Printable Verison for this Alert note: acrobat format

English, Chinese, Spanish and Instructions note: acrobat format

State Budget Priorities note: acrobat format

City Budget Agenda note: acrobat format

What is Happening and
Why it is Important

State Budget

  • LiveOn NY's Jan. 20 state budget alert reported that the 2017-18 state budget proposal has over $13 million in cuts and cost shifts that would affect aging services in New York.  Click here to view that alert.
  • Take part in our letter writing campaign. The Budget would require a set amount of federal Title XX funds to be used to support Child Care subsidy costs, instead of leaving the discretion to the counties on how to use the funding. Federal Title XX funds have been used to support senior centers in NYC for decades. NYC will lose $17 million in Title XX funds, forcing 65 senior centers to close in virtually every Assembly and Senate district.  This represents almost 30% of our Neighborhood Senior Centers.  6,000 seniors per day would lose their local senior center and lose access to vital nutrition, socialization and health promotion activities.  1.5 million meals per year will be lost.  There will be 24,000 of lost hours of case work assistance for benefits, housing and other needs.
  • We need thousands of seniors to send letters to the Governor to tell him to allow Title XX funds to be used for senior centers so they don't close.  Letters should be put in the mail in bulk by Friday February 10.  Click here for instructions and the model letter which is in English, Chinese and Spanish.
  • The budget is typically completed by the end of March.
  • Click here to view the Governor's Executive Budget Proposal.
  • Click here to view LiveOn NY's State Budget Priorities.

City Budget

  • Mayor de Blasio's FY17 Preliminary Budget was released January 24, 2017. 
  • Click here to view LiveOn NY's City Budget Agenda.
  • The budget included $4.3 million for home care. This funding is not baselined which means that that it is only good for one year.  It is the same amount as last year, so there is no new money for home care, despite the fact that there are wailists citywide of 560 older adults, which is growing each month.
  • There is no new money for Case Management Services despite over 1,800 seniors on waitlists - a 30% increase from a year ago.
  • Budget negotiations between the Administration and City Council are now underway.
  • Click here to view the full budget details from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
  • The budget is typically completed in mid-June, with a deadline of June 30.

What You Can Do

State

  • Ask seniors to take part in our letter writing campaign to urge the Governor allow Title XX funds to be used for senior centers so they don't close.  Letters should be put in the mail in bulk by Friday February 10.  Click here for instructions and the model letter in English, Chinese and Spanish - seniors can fill out the section in their language.
  • Set up meetings in February with your state legislators in the district offices to discuss your aging programs.  We are counting on your help. Click here for the full state budget priorities agenda. Talking points will be posted soon. 
  • Please email Andrea at acianfrani@liveon-ny.org if you are holding meetings or events.
  • Call your legislators’ offices and tell them to support aging services and to prevent the cuts, and send them the link to the budget ask.
  • Invite legislators to your program in February so they can see your important work and the need for funding and why the cuts would be so devastating.
  • Let LiveOn NY know of the events you are holding, meetings you have and key relationships you have developed with legislators or who are supportive of aging programs so we can continue to build a supportive network.  email Andrea at acianfrani@liveon-ny.org if you are holding meetings or events.

City

  • Click here to learn more about LiveOn NY's City Budget Priorities. 
  • Set up meetings in February with your City Council members to discuss your programs that serve older adults. Share LiveOn NY's budget priorities.
  • Invite your City Council Member to visit your center or program to speak to seniors so they can see the value of the programs that service older adults in your district.
  • Save the Date for our 22nd Annual Senior Advocacy Day -- Wednesday May 3, 2017.  More to follow!

How to Find your Legislators

State

City

For more information contact Bobbie Sackman, Associate Executive Director of Public Policy at 212-398-6565x226 or bsackman@liveon-ny.org or Andrea Cianfrani, Deputy Director of Public Policy at 212-398-6565x233 or acianfrani@liveon-ny.org