The Children’s Defense Fund¬ – New York (CDF¬-NY) strongly supports and respectfully urges passage of S. 277A (Gounardes) / A.4022A (Hevesi), which would combine and strengthen the Empire State Child Credit (ESCC) and State Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to create one more inclusive and generous Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC).
Today, as a part of its celebration of the life and world-changing legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., renowned civil rights activist and one of the greatest nonviolent leaders in world history, the Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) releases its Fiscal Year 2023- 2024 Legislative and Budget Agenda, titled Prioritizing the Needs of Children, Youth and Families: New York State Budget and Legislative Priorities.
As communities of color continue to navigate the triple crises of COVID-19, inflation, and systemic oppression rooted in racism, our State elected officials must do what is just, which is to put New York on a strong path to a just equitable recovery by centering and prioritizing the needs of the youngest New Yorkers along with marginalized children, youth and families in the FY 2023-2024 Budget and Legislative Session in ways that center their physical and mental wellness and economic health, thereby enabling them to have joy and to thrive.
We write today to urge you to extend the Telehealth Consumer Survey deadline for an additional 30 days, to past July 31st in order to afford community-based organizations, trusted messengers and healthcare providers adequate time to deploy the survey among the communities they serve and for the State to receive ample survey responses that are truly representative of as many New Yorkers as possible. We also request that paper versions of the survey should be provided to local departments of social services and other community-based partners to ensure individuals who face barriers to responding electronically can participate.
