Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre (D-Babylon) announced the passage of the Assembly’s one-house “Families First” state budget proposal (E.203). The budget proposal continues to move New York forward by increasing funding for education, creating jobs and helping ensure economic stability for New Yorkers by raising the minimum wage and providing much-needed tax relief.

“The designation ‘Families First’ really exemplifies the job we were elected to do, which is to serve and put the needs of hardworking families first,” Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre said. “Our families deserve the peace of mind of knowing necessary resources they need to succeed are at hand. This budget invests in the future of our state by increasing opportunities for families to prosper through higher wages, greater funding of our education system, a stronger safety net for those who need assistance and lower property taxes.”

Lowering taxes

The Assembly’s implementation of a “circuit breaker” will provide families with much-needed property tax relief. The plan would tie property taxes to the ability to pay rather than basing the taxes on property value.

“Families on Long Island continue to struggle with sky-high property taxes,” Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre said. “I have seen affordable houses, on Long Island, become too expensive due to exorbitant property taxes. It’s time our families pay based on what they can afford, not just their property value.”

The budget proposal Jean-Pierre helped craft also ensures all families have access to safe, affordable housing. The Assembly budget proposal provides $645.2 million for housing and community development programs so that families who are struggling to afford to pay for their homes can stay and thrive in the community.

Education

The Assembly budget aims to provide educators and students with the resources they need to succeed by ensuring schools receive their fair share of state aid. The Assembly’s proposal provides an increase of $1.8 billion in school aid for a total of $23.95 billion in education funding. This includes an increase of over $1 billion in Foundation Aid and $456 million in restorations to the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA).

The proposal also includes the Higher Education Road to Success initiative aimed at increasing enrollment and investing in skill-development programs. The Assembly budget provides an increase in the maximum possible TAP award, an increase in college base aid funding for SUNY and a 20 percent increase over last year for the following opportunity programs:

• Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP): $30.8 million, an increase of $5.1 million;
• Educational Opportunity Program (EOP): $26.8 million, an increase of $4.5 million;
• Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge program (SEEK): $23.3 million, an increase of $3.5 million;
• Liberty Partnerships: $15.9 million, an increase of $2.6 million;
• Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP): $13.7 million, an increase of $2.3 million; and
• Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP): $10.4 million, an increase of $1.8 million; and College Discovery Program: $1.12 million, an increase of $187,400.

Increasing the minimum wage

In an effort to make sure every worker be paid a fair and livable wage, the Assembly’s budget proposal would create a minimum wage for higher cost of living areas, including Suffolk County, of $12.50 per hour beginning Dec. 31, 2016, and increasing to $15.00 per hour starting Dec. 31, 2018. The state tipped wage would increase to $9.50 per hour – beginning December 31, 2016. It would then increase again to $11.40 per hour by Dec. 31, 2018. Further, the state minimum wage would be indexed to the rate of inflation beginning in 2019.

Please click here to view a video from Assemblywoman Jean-Pierre.