Wednesday morning, Councilman David G. Greenfield met with over 40 yeshiva leaders from throughout Brooklyn to address the ongoing fight to restore $17 million in funding for Priority 5 vouchers in this year’s city budget. Since Mayor de Blasio’s release of the Fiscal Year 2015 Preliminary Budget, Councilman Greenfield has made fighting for these vital childcare vouchers his top budget priority at City Hall.

In addition to repeatedly voicing the need for this restoration as a member of the City Council’s Budget Negotiation Team, Greenfield has worked with Dean Fuleihan, the Director of the NYC Office of Management and Budget and other key administration figures to address this crucial issue. Under the Bloomberg administration, this voucher program was routinely cut year after year. There is currently no funding for Priority 5 vouchers in the budget.

Councilman Greenfield thanked his many partners in the City Council especially Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Councilman Steve Levin for their support on restoring these vouchers.

“Without these vouchers, the Orthodox community is simply at a disadvantage when it comes to obtaining childcare. Childcare vouchers enable parents to actually work jobs and support their families. Thank you to all the yeshiva leaders who have been working with me to restore this funding,” said Councilman Greenfield.

By law the New York City budget must pass before July 1st. However, most of the major budget details must be resolved with the next week to allow for printing of the bills and other technicalities. As a result, Greenfield is working overtime to ensure that Priority 5 vouchers are included in the budget. Greenfield has made it clear that this is the community’s top priority by stating that he would not vote in favor of a budget that did not include a restoration of these critical vouchers.

(YWN Desk – NYC)