Funds will save libraries, composting, education, and more
On June 30, the New York City Council voted to adopt the $112.4B Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget, enacted on July 1. The FY 2025 budget restores over $1B in funds for priorities including library service, early childhood education (ECE), composting, and more.
“I’m grateful to the leadership of Speaker Adams and Chair Brannan for leading the Council through this budget process as a unified body and ensuring we prevented the very worst cuts,” said NYC Council Member Lincoln Restler in a press release. “We secured meaningful investments for affordable housing, seven-day library service, and in our neighborhood schools — and we will keep fighting to hold the Mayor accountable and deliver for New Yorkers.”
Due to budget cuts in November 2023, some libraries were no longer able to provide service on Sundays. The Greenpoint Library held a vigil on Sunday, December 17, the last Sunday they would be open for the foreseeable future. In addition, the budget cuts meant spending on library materials, programming, and maintenance was limited.
However, the FY25 budget fully restored the $58.3M in library funding and full service will no longer be repeatedly at risk in future budgets.
Sunday service will be reinstated at branches where it was previously offered on a rolling basis which began on July 14 with seven libraries. On August 4, another cohort of libraries will resume Sunday service, including Greenpoint Library.
Community composting was also removed from the budget last November. One of the community composting nonprofits called GrowNYC saw 47 compost drop-off locations close after the budget cuts. The organization said they serve seven thousand regular weekly participants and divert over 25 tons of food scraps from landfills weekly. However, community composting will resume now that $6.2M has been restored to its budget.
The funding provided to fix the ECE system will provide $293M. ECE has faced thousands of vacant seats, while families who applied received none. Some other challenges that ECEs are facing are outreach, pay disparities for staff of community-based organizations (CBOs), and insufficient enrollment. To beat these issues, the council agreed to immediately fund seats for families still waiting for 3-K placements or on the waitlist for preschool special education.
“The final budget agreement reflects the strategic commitment to childcare that is a step towards our vision for a future where every child in New York City receives equitable care,” said NYC Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez in a press release.
The Greenline 