Diana A.’s Post

As New York's lawmakers continue budget negotiations, help us send a clear message: This year, we cannot compromise on universal school meals. More than 320,000 kids in nearly 660 New York schools still cannot access universal no-cost school meals. A patchwork approach that provides free school meals to some—but not all—children is not enough. Determining access to free school meals based on income is a flawed system that leaves students behind. We do not ask students to provide their household income for buses, books, or school-issued technology. The same should be true for school meals. Anything less than a full universal policy undermines the culture of inclusivity that New York’s schools strive to create. The only way to ensure equitable access to school meals is also the simplest solution: Feed all the kids. Call TODAY to tell Governor Kathy Hochul, Carl Heastie, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and state lawmakers to fully fund #Meals4AllNY in the final state budget: bit.ly/HSMFANY-ActNow 

Teachers across the state criticized California Gov. Newsom’s new budget proposal, saying that it would ‘wreak havoc on funding for our schools,’ writes Adam Beam in the @AP https://lnkd.in/gwZ_gz6c #CaliforniaTeachers #EducationFunding #SchoolBudget #EducationReform #PublicSchools #TeacherAdvocacy #SchoolFinance

Libraries have historically played a crucial role in promoting literacy, supporting academic achievement, and serving as safe spaces for community members to gather and learn. In a vulnerable time where access to information and lifelong learning is more vital than ever, these budget cuts undermine the fundamental mission of public libraries and their ability to serve the diverse needs of New Yorkers. "The Meaning of the Library: A Cultural History," edited by Alice Crawford, and "Reading Spaces: The Role of Libraries in Reading Communities" by John E. Buschman, offer insights into the historical, cultural, and social significance of libraries in fostering intellectual growth and community engagement. It is important now that we collectively voice our opposition to these cuts and advocate for the preservation and enhancement of our library services as tax-paying New Yorkers. By doing so, I feel we are not only protecting a cornerstone of our democratic society but also ensuring that future generations continue to have access to the invaluable resources that libraries provide. @NYCMAYOR #NoCutsToLibraries

🚨Final Budget Hearing: Show Up for Miami Arts on Sept 19 🚨 This Thursday, September 19th, Miami-Dade County commissioners are set to vote on a proposed 11% cut to arts and culture grants. This funding accounts for just 1% of the overall county budget, yet it is crucial for the vitality of our community. Florida arts groups have already suffered state-level cuts, and now Miami-Dade is following suit. Commissioners are suggesting these cuts are due to a decrease in tourist tax revenue, but this is false. The tourist tax has increased and is projected to continue rising into 2025. 📈 The arts are not just decoration; they are essential to Miami's identity and economy. Arts nonprofits are small businesses too, contributing to our vibrant culture and economy. 🎨💼 Commissioners believe our community won't take a stand—let's prove them wrong. ➡️ Plan to attend the final budget hearing this Thursday, September 19th, 2024 at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center at 3pm. This will give you ample time to register to speak and enter the Commission Chambers promptly.

Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams have reached a historic agreement on the 2025 fiscal year budget, totaling $112.4 billion, making it the largest budget in New York City's history. This handshake agreement marks a significant shift, reversing many of the controversial cuts proposed by the mayor in recent months. The budget, set to be voted on by the Council on Sunday, aims to restore crucial funding, including $58 million for libraries, ensuring seven-day service, and $53 million for cultural institutions. The agreement, reached amid a backdrop of intense behind-the-scenes rivalry between the mayor and the speaker, was celebrated with a City Hall news conference filled with airplane metaphors. Mayor Adams, carrying a toy plane, emphasized the importance of navigating through turbulence to land successfully, symbolizing the budget negotiations. Speaker Adrienne Adams, despite celebrating the restored funding, cautioned against future austerity measures, stressing the need to move from merely restoring cuts to actively strengthening and building the city's future. Key restorations include $19.6 million for the Department of Education's "Summer Rising" program and $14 million for community schools. However, not all proposed cuts were fully reversed, such as the $170 million reduction in early childhood programs, which the mayor justified due to underutilization in certain neighborhoods despite growing waitlists elsewhere. This record-breaking budget comes in response to the financial strains posed by the multi-billion-dollar migrant crisis and reflects a collaborative effort to ensure New York City's resilience and growth. #NYCBudget #EricAdams #AdrienneAdams #FiscalYear2025 #Libraries #CulturalInstitutions #EarlyChildhoodPrograms #CityCouncil #NewYorkCity #BudgetNegotiations https://lnkd.in/e7Jp-z9z

In this week's City Forward Collective News Brief, I shared our deep dismay with Milwaukee Public Schools' ongoing issues with managing district finances. MPS’ continuing inability to manage what Congresswoman Gwen Moore correctly called “...the bare minimum you have to do when you’re in business,” means that we aren’t focusing on the equally dire educational challenges facing students in MPS and across the city. MPS should be held to at least the same high standards for financial accountability, as our city's public charter and private schools. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the MPS School Board need to act with urgency and full transparency to address these issues, hold those responsible to account, and repair broken public trust -- beginning with 1) fully disclosing who knew about these issues, when they were informed, and why these concerns weren't disclosed to voters before being asked to vote on a $252M annual referendum, and 2) committing a full, public, and independent audit of the district's financial practices to identify who or what broke down, and how it will be fixed. https://lnkd.in/g-9MbzaA

Why do people think library and archives eat government budgets? These institutions are usually less than 1.0% of a budget. When I was with the City of Wetaskiwin I believe the archives accounted for less than 0.4% of the City’s budget.

good to know

Yesterday, we officially presented the 2025 Proposed Budget to Toledo City Council in the City Council Chambers. This balanced budget reflects our commitment to providing the core city services our residents rely on while addressing priorities that drive growth and improve quality of life in Toledo. 💡 Curious about the key priorities for 2025? Watch Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz’s interview with 13abc for an in-depth overview: https://ow.ly/s2s050UaZzb