Res. No. 97 Title Resolution calling upon the Governor of the State of New York, the New York State Legislature and the Mayor of the City of New York to restore cuts made to the Summer Youth Employment Program. Body By Council Members Fidler, Reyna, Seabrook, Vann, Martinez, Gennaro, Gerson, Avella, Baez, Barron, Boyland, Comrie, DeBlasio, Felder, Foster, Jennings, Katz, Lopez, Monserrate, Moskowitz, Nelson, Quinn, Recchia, Rivera, Sanders, Serrano, Stewart, Brewer, Gallagher, Lanza and Oddo; also Council Members Addabbo, Dilan and Gioia Whereas, New York City has traditionally operated, through the New York City Department of Employment (DOE), a Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) for young people 14 to 21 years of age; and Whereas, SYEP jobs provide our City's youth with work experience and teaches them valuable skills, such as responsibility and time management, that prepares them for future careers; and Whereas, Additionally, many jobs performed by youth are essential to the economic prosperity of both their family and community, and most of the income earned by youth through summer employment is spent in the community, creating a positive economic multiplier effect; and Whereas, From 1995 to 1999, the City received significant funding for a stand-alone SYEP from the federal Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA); and Whereas, In 2000, JTPA was eliminated and replaced with the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), which does not contain a stand-alone summer jobs component; and Whereas, Despite a significant loss in federal funding, DOE was able to maintain approximately 39,610 summer jobs in the summer of 2000, in part due to the allocation of $22 million in State Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) surplus funds; and Whereas, Additionally, DOE was able to maintain approximately 50,000 summer jobs for youth in the summer of 2001, in part due to the allocation of $15 million in State TANF surplus funds and $35 million in State Human Resources Administration (HRA)/TANF funds; and Whereas, In 2002, under the Governor's initial budget proposal, the City would receive only $9 million in State funding for SYEP, resulting in a $6 million cut; and Whereas, Furthermore, DOE has not received any indication that previous HRA/TANF funds will be available this year, which would result in a $35 million cut to SYEP; and Whereas, This significant reduction in State funding puts the future of this important program in jeopardy; and Whereas, In Fiscal Year 2002, SYEP received $10 million in City tax-levy funding; and Whereas, In the Mayor's Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2003, the SYEP is slated to receive a mere $7.9 million in City funding, reflecting a projected cut of $2.1 million dollars; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Governor of the State of New York, the New York State Legislature and the Mayor of the City of New York to restore cuts made to the Summer Youth Employment Program. |1013| |1013|