Schuyler Center’s Last Look is our initial assessment of the enacted State budget and how it advances priorities that improve the health and well-being of all New Yorkers, especially children and families living in poverty.
During the Last Look Live webinar held on May 9, Schuyler Center’s Policy Team provided an overview of budget actions related to our policy priorities.
Kate Breslin discussed child poverty reduction measures, Crystal Charles gave an overview of child welfare investments, Katie Albitz provided an update on budget actions related to child care, and Lara Kassel and Bridget Walsh discussed investments in health and well-being. Dede Hill highlighted additional Schuyler Center policy priorities for the remainder of this legislative session.
In Governor Hochul’s State of the State address, she outlined a New York Dream that is accessible to everyone. For children and families who are experiencing poverty, this year’s state budget cracks open the door to that dream just a little wider.
This year’s budget is a story of partial solutions in place of bold and transformative policy. Through the unified power of child poverty fighters and the tenacity of legislative champions, this year’s state budget includes an expansion of the Empire State Child Tax Credit to include babies and toddlers under age four. This means that the child tax credit will reach an additional 600,000 to 900,000 children statewide. We celebrate this expansion; it has been a very long time coming!
For real poverty fighting impact, we will continue to advocate to 1.) remove the child tax credit’s phase-in that limits the credit amount provided to the lowest income families, and 2.) increase the credit amount from the current maximum of just $330 per year and build in a mechanism to keep up with rising costs. [Schuyler Center Statement on Child Tax Credit Expansion in the NYS Budget]
We’re encouraged that this year’s State budget includes a historic update to the child welfare housing subsidy. Starting next year, the child welfare housing subsidy will increase from $300 a month to $725 a month, a long overdue update to a subsidy that has not been increased since it was established in 1988. This subsidy is a lifeline to families involved in the system and youth aging out of foster care, seeking a life of safety and independence. [Child and Family Advocates’ Statement on the 2023-24 New York State Budget: Historic update to the child welfare housing subsidy]
The budget also includes notable investments in child care. These are measures that will make a tangible difference in the lives of children and families, including expanding access to child care by extending eligibility for assistance to pay for child care to families earning up to 85% of the state median income ($93,258 for a family of four), capping copays, an online application, and the elimination of some administrative barriers that prevent families from receiving the help they need. The budget also contains a small pilot program to help the families of children who are currently excluded from child care assistance due to their immigration status. [Empire State Campaign for Childcare Response to 23-24 Budget]
While each of these actions represents progress, we still have a long way to go. The door to the New York dream should be wide open for every New Yorker, regardless of zip code or income or race. Schuyler Center will continue advocating for the bold policy solutions that New York’s children and families need, especially those experiencing poverty, inequity, and systemic racism. [Schuyler Center End of Session Policy Priorities 2023]
First steps achieved toward a robust and inclusive child tax credit, with more to be done
As advocates for policies that aim to end the experience of child poverty and support New York’s children and families, Schuyler Center is pleased that this year’s state budget includes an expansion of the Empire State Child Tax Credit to include babies and toddlers ages 0-3. Starting next year, the child tax credit will reach an additional 900,000 children statewide. It will be the first time since the credit was created in 2006 that children under 4 years old are included in the state child tax credit.
By expanding the credit to include the youngest New Yorkers, our leaders have strengthened an important tool in reducing child poverty. Schuyler Center has long fought for this expansion, and we commend Governor Hochul and Legislative leaders for taking the first step toward a more inclusive child tax credit.
The Path to a More Impactful Child Tax Credit
While we are thrilled by budget action to include children under 4 in New York’s child tax credit, this year’s state budget did not include an additional, equally important expansion. To make New York’s child tax credit as inclusive as possible, leaders must also remove the phase-in that limits the credit amount provided to the lowest income families.
Currently, children in families earning the lowest incomes receive only a partial credit because their household is in the phase-in (i.e. they earn too little). These are the children who would benefit most from this credit. A family making $7,000 shouldn’t receive a smaller credit than one making $70,000.
In addition, for real poverty fighting impact, the credit amount must be increased from the current maximum of $330 per year and built to keep up with rising costs.
We will continue advocating for these additional improvements. Combined, these actions will help realize the powerful poverty-fighting potential of NY’s child tax credit.
We urge Governor Hochul and Legislative leaders to finish fixing the flaws. With these improvements, the Empire State Child Credit can be an essential tool in achieving New York’s goal of reducing child poverty by 50% within the next decade.
Schuyler Center and our many partners in the fight to end child poverty in New York State would like to thank Senator Gounardes, Assemblymember Hevesi, Senator Cooney, and the leadership in both houses of the legislaturefor championing these actions as well as the Working Families Tax Credit. If enacted, the Working Families Tax Credit will move New York significantly closer to meeting its statutory commitment of cutting child poverty by 50% by 2032.
Schuyler Center’sNext Look is an initial and targeted assessment of how the New York Senate and Assembly 2023-24 One-House Budget proposals would address some of the issues most critical to the health and well-being of low-income families and children, and all New Yorkers living on the margins. Chief among these issues is child and family poverty. View Next Look.
Highlighted in the assessment are State budget actions that hold real opportunity to concretely improve the lives of New York children, families, and marginalized New Yorkers. Schuyler Center’s team is continuing to analyze these proposals more closely and is working with our partners to ensure that the enacted NYS budget seizes these opportunities to set up all New Yorkers to thrive.
Next Look includes Budget proposals in the areas of Child Welfare; Refundable Tax Credits (excerpted below); Minimum Wage; Housing Voucher Program; Universal School Meals; Public Assistance; Child Care; Pre-K, Afterschool, and Home Visiting; Public Health, Health Coverage, Access and Care.
More than 80 organizations have signed the letter below, which was sent to the full NYS Legislature (PDF version available here). The letter articulates key budget actions to begin to cutting child poverty. In 2021, New York passed the Child Poverty Reduction Act, committing the State to reducing child poverty by 50% over the next decade. On Tuesday, March 7, New York’s Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council will assess the Executive Budget’s impacts on child poverty; the livestream and recording will be on the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance website.
——- March 6, 2023
Dear Legislator:
The 2023-24 State Budget provides an opportunity to change New York’s trajectory on child poverty. Child poverty in New York State continues to exceed the national rate, as it has for more than a decade. But it’s not hopeless: there are budget and policy solutions that can be implemented this year.
In 2021-22, the Legislature passed and New York enacted landmark legislation, the New York State Child Poverty Reduction Act, committing New York State to cutting child poverty in half in a decade. The Act had near-unanimous, bipartisan support from upstate, downstate, rural, urban, and suburban legislators and constituents. New York must take meaningful steps this year to make good on its promise.
One of the key learnings of the last three years is that government policy can make a real andimmediate difference for people struggling to make ends meet. Pandemic-era supports confirmed that it is possible to quickly and sharply cut child poverty and boost family economic security. The most dramatic example was the temporary pandemic expansion of the Federal Child Tax Credit in 2021, which contributed to a 46% decline in child poverty nationwide.
The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty identifies several evidence-informed policies that can move the needle on child poverty, noting that there is not one single policy solution, but a combination of policies that, taken together, can turn the tide on child poverty.
With that inmind, there are critical, evidence-informed actions that can be taken in this year’s Budget that will immediately assist New York’s children and families:
Deliver tax relief to children in low-income families by strengthening refundable tax credits. Specifically,
add a robust credit for children under age four, currently excluded fromNew York’s Empire State Child Credit (ESCC) (S.771/A.2464 and S.4952/A.3911);
ensure the full credit goes to the lowest-income families, by ending regressive minimum income requirements and phase-ins (S.771/A.2464);
increase the credit amount to provide families meaningful support (S.771/A.2464 and S.4952/A.3911); and
make the Earned Income Tax Credit EITC available to immigrant tax filers.
The Working Families Tax Credit (S.2077/A.4022) would accomplish all of these. The Governor’s Budget proposesnothing for the ESCC or EITC, though it does propose tax expenditures in other areas.
2. Increase New York’s minimum wage and adjust it each year to keep up with rising costs (S.1978-A/A.2204-A). The failure of the minimum wage to keep up with rising costs of living contributes to economic insecurity for families. Increased household income is associated with improved birth outcomes and reduced infant mortality and fewer child maltreatment reports. In 2020, there were 630,000 New York children living in a household with someone earning less than $15 per hour. More than a quarter of affected workers are parents (27.9%) and almost half of those are single parents (47.9%) who will see their earnings increase from the higher minimum wage. The Raise the Wage Act (S.1978-A/A.2204-A), would raise the minimum wage to $21.25 in NYC, Westchester, and LI and $20 upstate by 2026. In 2027, upstate would reach parity with the rest of the state, as the minimum wage would automatically increase each year. The Act would give 2.9 million workers an average raise of $63 per week, and could greatly reduce child poverty across New York State. The Governor’s budget proposes automatic increases to the minimum wage, once it reaches $15/hour under existing law, with caps on the increases, delivering a raise of about $13 per week for the average affected worker.
3. Keep children and families housed by establishing the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) (S.568-A/A.4021), astate-level voucher program to provide housing stability to New York families at risk of homelessness. Housing in New York costs more than twice the national average and nearly one-third of households with children were behind on rent in November 2022. Voucher programs have been shown to lower rent burdens, prevent eviction, and reduce the risk of homelessness. Notably, children who grow up in households with vouchers have increased earnings in their 20s and lower incarceration rates. Stable housing is foundational to children’s well-being. A $250 million investment would serve 13,760 households, including nearly 4,000 families with children. The Governor’s budget does not include a Housing Access Voucher Program.
4. Establish and fund statewide, permanent Healthy School Meals for All to ensure all students receive a healthy school breakfast and lunch at no cost each school day. Nearly 600,000 children in New York State lack the food they need, and additional federal food assistance is slated to end in March 2023. Providing free meals for all students—regardless of income—is a proven strategy to reduce food insecurity, improve mental and physical health, support students’ ability to thrive academically, and bolster equity. With an investment of $200 million, more than 726,000 children will eat healthy meals at school, cost-free. The Governor’s budget did not propose funding for free school meals.
The New York State Comptroller’s recent report on poverty in our state is a sobering reminder that for too long, New York has allowed millions of New Yorkers, among them hundreds of thousands of children, to experience the hardships of poverty—at a much higher rate than our neighboring states and the nation as a whole. Child poverty has lasting impacts on our children, families, and communities, and disproportionately harms young children, Black and Latinx children, and children in immigrant families. Columbia University researchers estimate child poverty costs New York more than $60 billion per year. The Child Poverty Reduction Act and Advisory Council have built a strong foundation for New York to significantly reduce child poverty in our state.
By taking the concrete steps outlined above in this year’s budget, the Legislature can build on that foundation and immediately bolster family economic security, child well-being, and racial equity throughout New York State.
Sincerely,
Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy
Advocate for Westchester Youth
ALIGN: The Alliance for a Greater New York
Alliance for Quality Education
American Academy of Pediatrics, NYS
Candace Cabral, Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council Member
Cattaraugus Community Action, Inc.
Center for NYC Affairs, The New School
Chautauqua Opportunities Inc.
Children’s Defense Fund
Children’s Health Fund
Children’s Village
Chilis on Wheels
Church Women United in New York State
Churches United for Fair Housing (CUFFH)
Citizens’ Committee for Children
City of Peekskill Youth Bureau
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School
Community Food Advocates
Community Health Care Association of New York State
Community Service Society
CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute
Early Care & Learning Council
Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk, Inc.
Equipping Saints to Serve Ministries
Equity Advocates
Expecting Relief
Families Together in New York State
Feeding New York State
Feeding Westchester
Finger Lakes Performing Provider System
Foodlink
For the Many
FPWA
Free the People WNY
God’s Love We Deliver
Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce
Greenburgh Eleven UFSD
Health and Welfare Council of Long Island
Healthi Kids Coalition
Hope’s Door
Hunger Solutions New York
JCEO
Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency, Inc.
National Employment Law Project
New York Communities for Change
New York Immigration Coalition
New York State Community Action Association
Newburgh Urban Farm and Food Initiative
Northeast NY Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health
Northern Rivers
Partnership for the Public Good
Poppy Muse, Inc.
Prevent Child Abuse NY
Robin Hood
Rochester Housing Authority
Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI)
Rural Health Network of SCNY, Inc.
Schenectady Community Action Program
Sister to Sister International
Strong Economy for All Coalition
The Bridge Project
The Children’s Agenda
The Education Trust New York
The Legal Aid Society
The New York State CASA Association, Inc.
The STEM Alliance
Tompkins County Workers’ Center
United Community Center of Westchester, Inc.
United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes
Schuyler Center’s newly-released 2023 Policy Guide for Child and Family Well-Being outlines policy priorities, resources, and Schuyler Center’s availability as a partner in policymaking. The Policy Guide is a valuable resource for our partners working on policy and legislation.
The Policy Guide includes:
An overview of The Schuyler Center;
Policy Priorities for Centering Child Well-Being in NYS;
A summary of the resources we make available to support policymaking;
A directory of Our Team of Policy Experts, including the issue areas on which each team member focuses.
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