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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2017
CONTACT: Bobbie Sackman, Associate Executive Director of Public Policy
bsackman@liveon-ny.org or 917-690-2805
MAYOR REFUSES TO ADD ANY NEW MONEY TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGING!
NO SENIORS, NO BUDGET!
A wave of concern and confusion was sent through the community-based aging services and older New Yorker community across the city as Mayor Bill de Blasio’s executive budget adds no new money to the Department for the Aging. This is on top of no new money in the preliminary budget. The network of senior centers, services for homebound elderly and other programs has continued to be left out of the Mayor’s budgets.
Bobbie Sackman, Associate Executive Director of Public Policy, LiveOn NY, “On behalf of the 300,000 older New Yorkers served by LiveOn NY’s members, we find it deeply disturbing that Mayor Bill de Blasio, once again, has refused to add any new money to fund vital services through the Department for the Aging (DFTA).
In both his preliminary and executive budgets, the Mayor has rejected adding any new funding to DFTA. With almost 18% of the city’s population reaching age 60+, it is irresponsible that DFTA receives less than ½ of 1% of the city budget – and less than 2% of all human services funding. As we head into the headwaters of a Trump budget, the safety net for older adults and their family caregivers, currently very thin, must be strengthened. The 2000 homebound seniors waiting for a case manager to visit them, the 780 seniors waiting for home care, the senior centers needing funds for meals, health and wellness programs and renovations – the list goes on and on. Given the anxieties about federal level funding cuts, ignoring the needs of older New Yorkers is inexcusable. If seniors cannot depend upon their Mayor to support the services they need, then where can they turn.
City Council has declared 2017 the Year of the Senior. LiveOn NY calls on City Council and the Mayor to fund the $60.6 million budget priorities included in City Council's response to the preliminary budget. As a supporter of women’s rights and immigrants, the Mayor must support New Yorkers across the lifespan. DFTA’s programs serve thousands of low income women and immigrants. LiveOn NY calls on both the Mayor and City Council to not adopt the FY18 budget without full funding of DFTA services.
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LiveOn NY’s membership is comprised of 100 nonprofits providing an array of community-based services to 300,000 older New Yorkers. Our mission is to make New York a better place to age, allowing older adults to age with independence, grace and vitality.
Click here for a printable version of this statement.
Click here to download this statement translated into Spanish.
Click here to download this statement translated into Chinese.