CPR Statement: Communities Call for Bolder Action After Budget Handshake

On Friday, June 11, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Speaker Adrienne Adams announced a handshake deal on the city’s FY23 budget, which included an NYPD budget of more than $11 billion, the largest in the city’s history. Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) released the following statement from spokesperson Keli Young (she/her): 

“The crises that our communities are facing today require bold action from our city leaders and a budget that creates a clear path to a true recovery that would help not only keep us safe, but help us thrive. The budget announced by the mayor and speaker today falls short of meeting this need. 

“We expected this new City Council to prioritize significant community investments over the continued expansion of the NYPD budget; instead the proposed FY23 budget reflects the largest NYPD spending in history. The projected $11.2B for the NYPD enables the mayor to continue to push regressive and failed policing tactics that harm Black, Latinx and communities of color and have been heavily criticized and condemned by New Yorkers. This does not make our city safer. 

“In addition, the budget contains deep cuts to education and housing programs that will have devastating effects for years. The budget makes some important investments in programs and services for Black, Latinx and other communities of color; it does little to fill the gaps in health and mental health care, youth programming, workforce development, and housing that are a result of decades of divestment from these highly policed communities. 

“As we move forward, it is critical the City Council and mayor prioritize the demands of the city's most policed communities and invest in the public health and community safety solutions that we know will work.”

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Background: 

Since 2020, Communities United for Police Reform has led a historic #NYCBudgetJustice coalition of more than 200 local and national organizations to demand cuts to the NYPD budget and reallocation of those resources to fund core service programs and infrastructure for Black, Latinx and other communities of color. CPR’s latest report, Creating Safe and Vibrant Communities for all New Yorkers, provides detailed analysis of the NYPD FY23 budget, as well as communities’ demands to cut $1B from NYPD and invest in communities.

About Communities United for Police Reform

Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) is an unprecedented campaign to end discriminatory policing practices in New York, and to build a lasting movement that promotes public safety and reduces reliance on policing. CPR runs coalitions of over 200 local, statewide and national organizations, bringing together a movement of community members, lawyers, researchers and activists to work for change. The partners in this campaign come from all 5 boroughs, from all walks of life and represent many of those most unfairly targeted by the NYPD.