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Co-op City Times / January 20, 2024
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Free Health Screenings on Feb. 10 Saturday, February 10, Amen Ministries and Church of the New Vision will present “A Blueprint for Wellness” at the church, 135 Einstein Loop, from 10 a.m.4 p.m. Register by scanning the QR Code below or contact amenministriesrev314@gmail.com or ljscott_2000@yahoo.com. This event is free. Services offered include Pre-Bio Metric Health Screening, Covid-19 vaccine and flu shots, eye exam and blood pressure testing. Bring family, friends and guests. All are welcome.
Assemblyman Benedetto 2024 Lobby Visit Assemblyman Michael Benedetto will host his next Co-op City Lobby Visit as follows: Thursday January 25, 100 Dreiser Loop, from 5:15-7 p.m.
Be An Engaged Shareholder
Shareholders are encouraged to submit input on how to improve services and service delivery as well as other ideas that impact the quality of life of Co-op City residents. If you have a suggestion you’d like to share with the Riverbay Board and/or Management, visit the Home page of the official Coop City website, coopcity.com, scroll down to the bottom and click on the “Comments & Suggestions” link or scan the QR Code here to be connected.
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Riverbay Safety Outreach to Building Associations Riverbay Safety Director Anthony Barzelatto has announced that he is available to conduct presentations addressing: 1. How to survive an active shooting 2. Fire: How to survive – Fire prevention tips 3. How to prevent injuries in and out of your apartment To schedule an appointment, Mr. Barzelatto can be reached at abarzelatto@riverbaycorp.com or by phone at (718) 320-3300, Ext. 3624.
Governor Hochul Delivers FY25 State Budget BY BRANDON ORTIZ
Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her Fiscal Year 2025 Budget on Tuesday, January 16. The $233 billion budget plan focuses on a few general areas, according to the Governor: affordability, mental health, public safety and economic growth. Notably, the FY25 state budget plan does not include any income tax increases. Governor Hochul outlined her priorities for 2024 and areas her administration would focus on during her budget announcement. “In the coming year, with our partners in the legislature, we are going to take on some of the stubborn issues, like crime – especially retail theft, domestic violence and hate crimes. We’ll also rebuild our mental health system after decades of underinvestment and we’ll focus on those with the most critical needs. We’ll keep our young people safe in school and online, and we’re going to help our kids get ahead by going back to basics when it comes to reading, helping our kids learn to swim and we’re also going to focus on our moms and our babies, focusing on maternal and infant mortality,” Governor Hochul said. “We’ll also tackle out of control costs and protect New Yorkers’ hard earned money all while making it easier for them to deal with affordability, medical emergencies and even those who need insulin – that they can pay for it without having to break the bank. With unprecedented boldness, we’ll ensure economic competitiveness and we’re going to lay claim to the future by making New York the global leader in AI research and development. These are the priorities and New Yorkers expect us to fight the right fights for them while focusing on delivering common sense solutions,” the Governor went on to say. Here is how state budget spending will be broken down to address particular areas of focus paired with certain related legislative plans, as explained by the Governor’s Office: Public Safety: ● $347M for programs that address and prevent gun violence. ● $290M to “restore the effectiveness of the continuum of the criminal justice system.” ● $120M to support victim assistance funding ● $40.2M to combat retail thefts statewide and provide relief for small business owners. ● $40.8M to address the reduction and prevention of assault with a particular focus on Domestic Violence crimes. ● $35M for the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes program, which “provides grants to nonprofit organizations at risk of hate crimes or attacks because of their ideology, beliefs, or missions.” ● $5M for the Commercial Security Tax Credit, which helps business owners offset retail theft losses. ● Deliver new legislation to assist the Office of Cannabis Management and local governments with their enforcement of unlicensed cannabis dispensaries. Repairing Mental Health Infrastructure: ● $45M to support youth mental health services, especially school-based services and peer-to-peer counseling. ● $43M to fund supportive housing units that shelter individuals who require mental health services and support.
● $37M for the establishment of new programs that help homeless individuals who have a mental illness. ● $24M for services and programs that support individuals in the criminal justice system who also have a mental illness. Public Education: ● A total of $35.3 billion in school aid, which represents an increase of $824 million or 2.4% compared to FY24’s budget. ● $10M to train teachers and teaching assistants on the “best practices for evidence-based literacy instructional practices.” ● Extension of Mayoral control over NYC public schools for four years. ● $1.2 billion for SUNY and CUNY capital projects. ● $207M to support SUNY and CUNY operational costs. ● $2.5M for SUNY’s involvement in the Governor’s Empire AI project. The Empire AI project aims to establish New York as the AI center of the world, as well as create a state-of-the-art AI research facility and computer center in upstate New York. Health Care: ● $35.5 billion in Medicaid funding, in addition to what the Governor’s Office called “targeted and transformational changes to ensure the long-term solvency and sustainability of the Medicaid program.” ● $315M for health insurance subsidies intended for individuals enrolled in qualified health plans and who fall under 350% of the federal poverty line threshold. ● $45M for “disability services and independent living opportunities.” ● $6.7M to establish New York as an “employment first” state for disabled individuals. ● $7.5 billion over the next three years for efforts to “advance health equity, reduce health disparities, and strengthen access to primary and behavioral health care across the state.” The state budget also included funding to support the migrant and asylum seeker situation currently heavily impacting New York City’s shelter system. Specifically, the Governor’s plan earmarked $2.4 billion to support the city’s response to the influx of migrants and asylum seekers. New York City Mayor Eric Adams released a statement in response to the Governor’s state budget announcement and underlined the city’s need for continued support as it handles the current migrant and asylum seeker crisis. “We continue to manage a national humanitarian crisis as thousands of new arrivals enter New York City every week, and we have been forced to make difficult financial decisions to balance the budget, as required by law…The city continues to shoulder too much of the financial responsibility as the federal government fails to step up — and costs continue to grow,” Mayor Adams said. Mayor Adams’ statement also touched on the city’s commitment to affordable housing and continuing to improve the public school education system. “Additionally, we agree with Governor Hochul that the only way out of our housing crisis is to build more housing. We have made or introduced nearly every change in (Continued on page 4)
