Low-Income Community Members Respond to Gov. Cuomo's Budget Release

NEW YORK, NY (01/17/2012)(readMedia)-- Low-income leaders of the group Community Voices Heard (CVH) responded to Governor Andrew Cuomo's Executive Budget that he released this afternoon. Their responses touched on the public assistance cash grant, the need for public housing repairs, public works projects in Yonkers and the Hudson Valley, and more.

Agnes Martinez, member of the PUBLIC HOUSING campaign, the CVH board, and a a resident of NYC's Drew Hamilton Houses, said the following:

Governor Cuomo needs to remember there are over a half-million NY state residents living in NYC Housing Authority. It is inhumane for me to wait a year and a half for repairs in my housing development. The Governor is proposing $6.4 million for public housing modernization for the entire state -- this is woefully inadequate. The governor needs to step up and allocate significant funds to address the over $70 million in backlog of repairs to allow public housing residents to live in dignity.

Gordon Flowers from CVH's WELFARE/WORKFORCE campaign said the following:

We thank the Governor for the increase in cash assistance, but it's not enough. The money would be best spent in transitional jobs.

Allen Clark, of CVH's YONKERS chapter said the following about PUBLIC WORKS:

The $24 million proposed for the City of Yonkers Saw Mill River Redevelopment is an opportunity to invest in Yonkers residents. Unemployment and underemployment have hit low-income and working class communities' hard. The city should hire residents from public housing units and those receiving public assistance for the jobs.

Yusuf Belford from CVH's NEWBURGH chapter said the following about EDUCATION & JOBS:

This is a possibility to create work in the city of Newburgh and other opportunities that can benefit the residents/low income. By giving OCCC $15 million it creates opportunities for job creation, transportation, education and decent affordable housing. This can bring Newburgh closer together to see what the needs and capability are of the people and could be something to get excited about as long as the community works together. And I just have to say that we at CVH aren't trying to get any prestige in this process, we're about the we and not the me.

Rob Anderson from CVH's POUGHKEEPSIE chapter said the following about JOBS & INVESTMENTS:

New York should invest that money in fixing up the YMCA which is really needed in our community, or make a homeless shelter in the city of Poughkeepsie instead of shuttling the homeless people out to Hyde Park 20 minutes away. Jobs are needed and we should have people from Poughkeepsie working to fix up the YMCA or even hire homeless people to help build up the homeless shelter.