March 3, 2016

Today NY4P advocated for a better parks budget in our testimony to the New York City Council Committee on Parks and Recreation at their hearing on the fiscal year 2017 preliminary budget. While we are encouraged by the Parks Department's efforts at becoming more efficient, innovative, resourceful and caring, the department still isn’t fully funded. The city cannot care for our parks if the department doesn’t have sufficient resources. Our testimony asks for an improved expense budget that will create jobs and support organizations empowering local-level stewardship. We ask for a capital budget that will continue to work toward equity in our parks system by funding improvements in “anchor” parks in low-income communities, along with other funding that will allow the department to be more adept at responding to the needs of parks-users. Read and download our full testimony here.