Budget deal falls short on parks funding and puts in place harmful accounting gimmicks
The League applauds restoration of funding for composting and expansion of Fair Fares program
Two-and-a-half years into the Adams administration and, despite campaign promises to the contrary, NYC Parks are still left wanting for funds critical to their operation. While we are pleased that the initial $55 million budget cut the mayor proposed was scaled back – and we thank Speaker Adams and the City Council for standing strong – we will not stop fighting until 1% of the budget is allocated to parks and every New Yorker has access to clean and safe green spaces.
It’s also disappointing that the city chose to revive a pre-2016 budget gimmick that will strip the DEP of $300 million annually via a so-called “rental payment” — siphoning away funds that should be used for storm proofing and water quality improvements, and instead sending them to the black hole of the city’s general fund.
The budget is not without bright spots. We are pleased to see the full restoration of funding for the community composting program, a necessary step toward reaching our goal of zero-waste by 2030. And because we cannot drive our way out of the climate crisis, we must prioritize mass transit and those who rely on it the most. That’s why we fought for the expansion of the Fair Fares program and we are grateful to the mayor and City Council for coming together on that.
As we enter another summer of air–quality alerts and record-breaking heat, this budget deal makes some progress, but does not live up to the urgency of the moment. There’s still time for this administration to leave a legacy of climate resilience and environmental protection. We look forward to working with Mayor Adams, Speaker Adams and the entire City Council in the coming year to make that a reality.