NYC Mayor Adams pleads for $1.1 billion state aid to avert migrant housing crisis

• New York City Mayor Eric Adams requested $1.1 billion from state lawmakers to address a budget shortfall for housing and caring for migrants, with the funds needed within 12 weeks.
• The city currently cares for about 46,000 migrants and has spent approximately $6.9 billion on their care over the last three years, with the state previously contributing $2.4 billion.
• The mayor’s budget proposal relies on the additional state funding to prevent a significant budget shortfall and includes other requests like the “Axe the Tax” plan to eliminate income tax for low-income earners.
• A report by the Independent Budget Office (IBO) found that the Adams administration had continuously increased its cost estimates for the migrant crisis, even as migrant inflow slowed, raising questions about the accuracy of the budget estimates.
• Lawmakers and city officials, including City Comptroller Brad Lander, have expressed support for funding the city’s migrant care but have questioned the accuracy of the Adams administration’s budgeting, with some suggesting the mayor may have misled about the numbers.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has urged state lawmakers to provide the city with at least $1.1 billion within 12 weeks to address a looming budget shortfall in its program for housing asylum-seekers and other migrants.

During the annual state budget hearing in Albany on Feb. 3, Adams revealed that the city is currently caring for about 46,000 migrants and the city already spent approximately $6.9 billion on their care over the last three years. The state has previously contributed $2.4 billion, but those funds are now running low, and without additional state support, the administration will be forced to make difficult budgetary adjustments.

“Without your help, we will have to close a $1.1 billion budget shortfall for this program within 12 weeks and ask for the state’s assistance to do so,” the mayor told lawmakers during the annual state budget hearing, often referred to as “Tin Cup Day.”

Adams’ $114.5 billion city budget proposal relies heavily on an additional $1.1 billion from the state to address migrant costs. This funding is essential to prevent a significant budget shortfall. (Related: “Be a Good Democrat or Else”: NYC Mayor Eric Adams was coerced by Biden regime to go along with migrant crisis.)

In addition to the migrant funding request, Adams also asked lawmakers to approve his “Axe the Tax” plan, which would eliminate the income tax of the city for people who claim dependents and earn income less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level. He also sought changes to the state’s criminal discovery and involuntary commitment laws.

NYC’s budget estimates questioned

During the budget hearing, city hall officials claimed that the requested funds would cover the costs of feeding, sheltering and caring for the approximately 46,000 migrants currently in the city’s care.

However, a report by the nonpartisan Independent Budget Office (IBO) found that the Adams administration had continuously increased its cost estimates for the crisis, even as the flow of migrants into the city slowed.

The IBO report also noted that the state’s funding share for the migrant crisis has been in line with historical averages. This revelation has fueled skepticism among lawmakers and city officials about the accuracy of the Adams administration’s budgeting.

“In looking back at the past two years, IBO found that the City did not accurately adjust the budget for new arrivals services since the initial surge in the summer of 2023 and that the share that New York State has covered has been in line with historical averages,” the report stated.

Several Democrats and Republicans expressed support for securing adequate funding for the city to care for migrants, but they strongly questioned the accuracy of City Hall’s budget estimates.

For instance, City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander stated that he believes the mayor’s numbers are misleading, but urged the state to increase its support for migrants. “I sure do not blame the legislature for thinking that Eric Adams has lied about the numbers and been totally ineffective at spending the money that they’ve sent because he has lied about the numbers,” he said.

Michael Kink, executive director of the left-leaning Strong Economy For All Coalition, and Assemblyman Chris Tague (R-Schoharie) also echoed a similar stance.

Visit Migrants.news for similar stories.

Watch this video about NYC stopping payments for migrants after Donald Trump’s victory last month.

This video is from the TREASURE OF THE SUN channel on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include:

NYPost.com

Gothamist.com

Brighteon.com