Queens, NY – Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D,WF-Fresh Meadows) announced recent passage of the $153.1 billion 2017-18 state budget that invests in public education and affordable housing, enacts tax policies to help the middle class, ensures every New Yorker has access to clean drinking water, and provides justice by raising the age and giving kids a second chance.

“The Assembly worked around the clock to ensure this year’s budget is much more than a spending plan,” said Rozic. “I am pleased to announce a deal was reached that provides for and protects all New Yorkers. From strengthening our students’ education, to finally ‘Raising the Age,’ this budget continues progress made and proves we are committed to social and environmental justice.”

Investing in our schools and students

As part of the Assembly’s commitment to putting every student on their path to success, the 2017-18 state budget increases education aid by $1 billion for a total of $25.7 billion. This investment is a 4.1 percent increase from last year’s budget and includes $817 million in funding for pre-k programs and $35 million for after-school programs. The final budget also increases Foundation Aid by $700 million for a total of $17.2 billion.

“Education is the great equalizer, but to make that a reality we need to keep driving funding to our schools,” said Rozic. “By giving our schools the funding and resources they need, we can protect vital education programs and help our kids learn, grow and get ahead.”

This year’s budget also makes significant investments in higher education through scholarship and opportunity programs. Funding is provided to allow students earning less than $125,000 annually who attend private colleges to become eligible for a scholarship award. A restoration of funding to a total of $35.5 million is made for the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), a partnership between the state and independent colleges to provide assistance for economically disadvantaged students.

The budget also includes $60 million for CUNY in capital funding for maintenance and expansion purposes, and $224 million for critical maintenance. To help students and their families meet the rising, non-tuition costs of college, the budget includes $8 million to help SUNY and CUNY develop online educational resources to help alleviate the high cost of textbooks for students.

To address the rising costs of college affordability, the budget also requires the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) to complete a study examining student loan debt relief and student loan refinancing options, as well as affordability initiatives to help find ways to reduce the cost of student textbooks, transportation and housing.

Tax policies to help the middle class

The budget implements previously approved middle-class income tax cuts. It also enhances the Child and Dependent Care Credit for taxpayers earning between $50,000 and $150,000. The credit is based on a sliding income scale for working parents who pay for child care or those who live with a spouse or dependent who is physically or mentally incapable of self-care.

Paying a fair share

To ensure New York’s wealthiest continue to pay their fair share, the 2017-18 budget extends the state millionaires tax for two years. Revenue from the tax is crucial to funding important services and programs throughout the state, including public education and infrastructure improvements.

“With income inequality continuing to rise, we need more people to do their part to fund schools and vital programs,” said Rozic. “We all want to see our state as strong as possible – this helps make that happen.”

Investing in affordable, supportive housing statewide

A long overdue $2.5 billion is included in this year’s budget to combat homelessness and create and preserve affordable housing. Although most of this funding was appropriated in last year's budget, it could not be released until the legislature and governor came to a later agreement with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). In addition to anti-homelessness and affordable housing efforts, this newly released funding also helps homeowners and middle-income residents. The budget also increases funding for Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) and Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NNORCs), keeping our seniors in the homes and neighborhoods where they have built vital networks and support systems.

Raising the Age

The budget includes a measure to ensure young people who encounter New York’s criminal justice system are treated fairly and given a better chance to turn their lives around. Raise the Age, which raises the age of criminal responsibility in New York from 16 to 18 years old, is an issue the Assembly Majority has championed for more than 12 years.

The Assembly fought to help as many kids as possible, as quickly as possible, and worked diligently to have all nonviolent felony charges begin in Family Court, but ultimately compromised with a reluctant state Senate in order to make progress on many of the other important issues. After a long-fought battle, New York will no longer be one of only two states in the country to prosecute 16- and 17-year-old defendants in nonviolent cases as adults in Criminal Court.

Protecting a Future for All

The Assembly budget includes funding for a variety of issues to ensure that we leave New York a better place. To combat the raging heroin and opioid epidemic, the budget increases funding by $43 million – for a total of $213 million – aimed at increasing access to treatment for New Yorkers battling with a substance abuse disorder. Specifically, this restores $2 million for New York City Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention Specialists (SAPIS).

The budget also provides $2.5 billion for water infrastructure to help ensure clean drinking water by repairing and replacing old pipes and water mains, as well as preventive measures, such as source water land acquisition, to keep water from becoming polluted.

Rozic added, “We need to do everything we can to ensure the safety and well-being of our families. This budget funds and provides for our shared values.”