NEW YORK (Dec. 23, 2022) — Gregory J. Morris, CEO of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition, released the following statement on Mayor Adams’ request to New York City Council to significantly cut discretionary spending for Fiscal Year 2024:
“When New York City invests in our workforce, we invest in the prosperity of all our communities. After the last few years of uncertainty, the last thing New Yorkers need is even further confusion about the resources available to them. The New York City Employment and Training Coalition is very alarmed by Mayor Adams’ recent comments calling for significant cuts to the Fiscal Year 2024 budget, which would be a major step backward for the City’s economic development. At least $25 million in funding for workforce development programming may be at risk at a time when workforce development providers are already strained by financial pressures since the earliest days of the global pandemic.
We share many of our leaders’ commitment to ensuring no one is left behind and that we maximize every taxpayer dollar in service of those who need it most. The workforce development providers who supported New Yorkers during the pandemic have been the same ones seeking to support asylum seekers — connecting them with language classes, training programs, legal services and more. These organizations are not just the backbone of neighborhoods throughout the city but also the foundation for our shared prosperity. We urge the Mayor and the City Council to work with our coalition members and other partners to not only preserve but, in fact, boost investments in the programs that connect New York talent to quality jobs. These programs put New Yorkers on pathways to self-sufficiency and economic mobility while creating a measurable, exponentially positive return on investment for our City.”
Workforce development providers across the five boroughs serve a range of New Yorkers who are most in need of help overcoming significant labor market barriers, including youth, public housing residents, immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, parents, seniors, and justice-involved individuals.
Many provider organizations continue to struggle financially following cuts resulting from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a recent report, NYCETC revealed that funding for wraparound supports such as direct cash assistance and child care remains extremely low, resulting in fewer workers’ ability to participate in training programs and that city-contracted service providers require fair and timely payment to maintain their frontline workforce.