Page 12 - The Indian EYE 013125

COMMUNITY OP-ED JANUARY 31, 2025 | The Indian Eye 12

January Plan Makes Our City Safer and

More Affordable to Raise a Family

The January Plan also continues to fund monthly “JobsNYC” hiring halls in communities
experiencing high unemployment and supports an initiative that works with low-income New Yorkers

to prepare them for apprenticeships in the building trades

our streets and in our waters by improving road lies. We can’t get this done without Albany’s
safety at hundreds of targeted traffic intersections help and we’re calling on them to include our
and adding more lifeguards to our roster so we can proposal in the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget.
deliver swim lessons to more of our young people The January Plan also continues to fund month-
and keep our kids safe. ly “JobsNYC” hiring halls in communities experienc-
New Yorkers work hard every day to provide ing high unemployment and supports an initiative
for themselves and their families. They not only de- that works with low-income New Yorkers to pre-
serve a safe city, but a fair shot and their fair share, pare them for apprenticeships in the building trades.
and in this January Plan we are giving it to them. New Yorkers love their parks, and we are taking
From investing in legal services to assist tenants care of our green spaces by adding a second clean-
who are being harassed by their landlords to sup- ing shift at 100 more hotspots in 64 parks and hiring
porting our Home Support Unit, which helps New additional staff to tend to 4,000 tree beds across the
Yorkers secure vacant apartments through rental five boroughs — helping keep the rats away and our
subsidy programs, we are ensuring that New York- urban forest healthy. And we will open additional
ERIC ADAMS
ers have a roof over their heads. school yards to the public after-school, on week-
We know that extra money in your pocket ends, and during the summer to put 20,000 more
rom day one, our administration has been fo- can make all the difference when it comes to es- New Yorkers within a 10-minute walk of a park.
cused on one mission: making New York City sential expenses like food, rent, and school sup- This plan also deepens our commitment to
Fsafer and more affordable. Every day and plies; that is why we launched our ambitious “Axe New York City kids and their education by extend-
everywhere, we are delivering on that mission for the Tax for the Working Class” proposal, which ing Summer Rising hours and Friday programming
working-class New Yorkers and making New York brings significant tax relief to working fami- to 30,000 middle schoolers, as well as extending our
City the best place to raise a family.
We have driven crime down, seized 20,000 il-
legal guns, removed 80,000 ghost cars and other il-
legal vehicles off our streets, and shut down more
than 1,300 unlicensed cannabis stores. We passed
the historic “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity”
plan, the most pro-housing proposal in New York
City history. We have stimulated the creation of a
record number of jobs and new small businesses
and put billions of dollars back into the pockets of
working-class New Yorkers. It is clear: New York
City’s economy is booming.
Last week, thanks to our strong, forward-look-
ing fiscal management and strategic investments,
we delivered a balanced Preliminary Budget for
Fiscal Year 2026, that invests in making New York
City the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
Our North Star has been and remains public
safety, and every day we are making sure our fam-
ilies and kids can feel safe and be safe in our city.
That is why this plan invests $137 million to address “Bridge to Home” will provide New Yorkers suffering from serious mental illness with psychiatric and substance abuse treat-
homelessness and help those suffering from serious ment and help to secure permanent housing (File photo)
mental illness move off our streets and subways and
into housing; this includes funding for 900 new Safe
Haven beds and 100 additional shelter beds for run- Learning to Work program — helping students who tional housing, tackling homelessness and serious
away homeless youth. have fallen behind earn a high school diploma and mental health, education, our parks, quality of life,
And we are launching an innovative new pro- prepare for college and their careers. And we are and how we can make our city more affordable.
gram, “Bridge to Home,” that will provide New expanding our Pathways program to provide addi- Our administration is working hard every day
Yorkers suffering from serious mental illness with tional career readiness opportunities to students at and everywhere to deliver for working-class New
psychiatric and substance abuse treatment and help New York City Public Schools. Yorkers and make New York City the best place to
to secure permanent housing. In our January Plan, we are investing in things raise a family.
This budget also keeps New Yorkers safe on that matter most to New Yorkers: safety, genera- Eric Adams is the Mayor of New York City, NY

www.TheIndianEYE.com