In March of this year, Carl E. Heastie was appointed as a member of the Joint Budget Conference Committee on Higher Education by the Speaker of the Assembly Sheldon Silver. The Joint Budget Conference Committee on Higher Education is composed of a small number of Senators and Assembly Members who compromise on budget priorities between the two Houses as they work towards a final Budget Agreement. Through the efforts of the Assembly the legislature was able to make full restorations to the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), the opportunity programs, and operating aid. The Assemblyman also helped lead the way to secure $82.2 million in capital funding for Bronx campuses.

The final budget includes no tuition hikes at SUNY or CUNY and restores $38.4 million in operating aid to SUNY and $19.6 million to CUNY. This funding will help the schools with initiatives like increasing faculty to support growing enrollment and expanding their nursing programs.

In addition, the final budget rejects gubernatorial cuts from community college aid, preserving funding at $2,675 per full time equivalent student. That means there will be no reduction in aid for SUNY’s 30 and CUNY’s 6 community colleges. This represents a $20 million restoration at SUNY community colleges and a $7.5 million restoration at CUNY community colleges.

“While tough times require tough choices, we must ensure college students have the resources they need to succeed. The funding in this state budget will make certain our public universities and colleges will remain affordable and accessible for all,” stated Carl E. Heastie.

Tuition Assistance Program

The budget restores $15.4 million to the Tuition Assistance Program, rejecting a $50 across-the-board cut to all TAP recipients. It also provides a $2.9 million restoration to the TAP program to allow students in default on their federal student loans to continue to receive TAP.

Funding Opportunity Programs

In addition, the final state budget rejects the executive budget cuts to college opportunity programs and funds them at the following levels to ensure New Yorkers have the chance at earning a college degree:

• $20.4 million in Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) funding

• $25.2 million in Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) funding

• $17 million in funding for Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK)

• $12.6 million for Liberty Partnership

• $881,265 for College Discovery

“Educational opportunity programs are instrumental in helping working families afford a college education,” Assemblyman Heastie said. “These programs will help strengthen New York’s higher education system and ensure that all students have access to an affordable college education.”

Assembly Member Carl E. Heastie announced the final state budget increases education funding by a record $1.75 billion, with a total investment of $21.4 billion. Assemblyman Heastie said the final state budget continues the legislature’s commitment to the 4-year Campaign for Fiscal Equity plan with a $622 million foundation aid increase for New York City schools. “Since my election I have fought for more money to build schools and have smaller class sizes,” said Assemblyman Heastie.

These enhancements also come with demands for increased accountability through “Contracts for Excellence” that ensure the increased funding is producing results such as smaller class sizes and better schools.

Carl Heastie participates in PS 112’s National Library Week, where he read to children and spoke on the importance of education.

“If our children are to receive the quality education they deserve, we must ensure that they have adequate resources and facilities in which to learn,” Assembly Member Heastie said. “By cutting through the red tape, we help get the money where it’s needed most, when it’s needed most.”

The final budget rejects the 18-month lag for New York City building aid, instead seeking to ensure that building aid estimates are more accurate and that aid is issued in a timely manner. A proposal to offset New York City operating aid with increases in reimbursable aids was also rejected.

Carl Heastie said the final budget allocation for Universal Pre-K totals $450 million, an increase of $96 million over 2007-08. This expands the number of 4-year-old children attending pre-K from 93,000 up to 121,000, bringing New York even closer to achieving Universal Pre-K.

The final state budget for 2008-2009 provides approximately $49 billion for health care in New York State; it restores $453 million in health care reductions, including a restoration of $408 million in Medicaid reductions proposed by the executive.

“We recognize providing affordable, reliable health care is a necessity – so we’ve done everything we can to make sure we protect and improve our health care facilities and programs,” explained Carl Heastie.

Child Health Plus and Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage Program (EPIC)

The Assembly is committed to the idea that no child in this state should be without health insurance. The final budget avoided a Child Health Plus premium increase, saving families $24 million. The Legislature stopped the executive budget’s plan to increase Child Health Plus premiums statewide.

In addition, the Assembly rejected the executive budget proposal to make EPIC drugs subject to prior authorization when there is a Medicare Part D denial, and instead helped shape an alternative program that places the burden on EPIC – not the beneficiary – to appeal Medicare Part D denials.

Health care facilities: hospitals, clinics and critical care centers

The final health budget restores millions of dollars to New York’s health care facilities, including $129 million related to hospital reform initiatives, and maintains critical new funding for hospital and non-hospital out-patient investments, including funding for clinics and critical care centers.

“In order to create more efficient health care centers while also ensuring quality care, we need to shift our focus from cost-prohibitive in-patient, hospital care to cost-effective out-patient, ambulatory care,” Assemblyman Heastie said. The reform initiatives put forth in the budget will gradually phase this in over the next four years and will also enable the medical community to participate in the process, ensuring an effective transition. The final budget restores $62 million in proposed reductions in home care, including rejecting the Certified Home Health Agency (CHHA) rate freeze at the 2005 level.

Nursing homes

The final health budget fully restores $170 million to nursing homes to meet the reimbursement reform initiatives authorized in the 2006-07 budget, and provides an additional $30 million for a restoration of workforce recruitment and retention.

Other health budget highlights include:

• Restoration of $31 million in pharmacy reductions;

• Creation of a discount prescription drug card for New Yorkers 50 to 64 years old or for the disabled;

• Rejection of the proposed elimination of the specialty HIV pharmacy program under Medicaid;

• Rejection of the proposed elimination of the exemption of antidepressant medication from the Preferred Drug List, ensuring these medications remain available and affordable to those who need them; and

• Acceptance of the “Doctors Across New York” program, which will expand health care to underserved areas, and a further study of future inclusion of other health care professionals such as dentists, midwives, nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants.

Assemblyman Carl E. Heastie has secured financial assistance through the Local Initiative Program for the Fiscal year 2008-09 for:

Baychester/Edenwald Senior Center - Financial assistance provides for meals for the elder community.

Bridgefield Civic League, Inc. - Financial assistance provides for materials and supplies for summer day camp activities.

St. Luke’s Food Program - Financial assistance provides transportation and supplies to offer food to the local community.

Bronx Youth Uptown Developers Coalition - Financial assistance provides for materials to hold an annual basketball program. The UDC provides an SAT prep course and pre-college orientation and guidance.

East 233rd Street Senior Center - Financial assistance provides for materials for Senior Program and activities.

47th Precinct Community Council - Funds will be used to purchase supplies for a project that will create safer streets and neighborhoods by utilizing volunteers to patrol the community and assist the local authorities with logistics.

NAACP (Williamsbridge Branch) - Financial assistance provides for math and science materials for the tutorial program.

Tilden Towers Senior Center - Financial assistance to provide project director for recreation activities and health/educational seminars.

Y.W. Conservatory of the Arts - Funds will be used to purchase materials/supplies and supplemental instruction for the community dance program. This program offers an opportunity for young adults to receive instruction in the arts of dance and performance.

Mind Builders Creative Arts Center (Community Folk Culture Program) - Funds will be used to purchase materials and supplies for the Community Folk Culture Program. This program offers an opportunity for young adults to have hands-on experience with shared cultural arts and activities while documenting and archiving this heritage.

Unity Neighborhood Center, Inc. - Funds will be used to purchase materials and supplies to expand services in P.S. 87 and P.S. 21. This program provides instruction in dance, drawing, and painting.

Theatre International, Inc. - Funds will be used to provide an after school theatre arts program. The funds from this grant will be used for the purchase of materials to run this program from Richard R. Green Middle School.

New York Public Library - Funds will be used to purchase books for the Eastchester, Edenwald, and Wakefield Branch Libraries.

Gun Hill Youth Football and Cheerleading Program - Funds will be used to purchase materials and supplies to conduct football and cheerleading youth program.

National Council of Negro Women, Inc. - Funds will be used to purchase materials to provide tutorial services for local youth and the community.

The New York City Housing Authority will be implementing a project funded by Carl E. Heastie in the sum of $250,000 in Community Capital Assistance Program funding. This funding will be used to upgrade the basketball court on the north side of “Building 8” of Edenwald Houses and the play areas between Building 31 and 32 on the south side of the grounds. The improvements include new basketball stands, new chain link fences around the gates to the courts, and two new play structures with a spray shower at the play area.

The funds will also be used to create a new play surface, lay new asphalt, purchase trash cans, benches, and other site amenities. “These new facilities will give our children the opportunity to get the exercise they need to live healthier lives. Recreation is key to keeping people happy and these upgrades will help to make it so our community has better access to recreational facilities,” said Assemblyman Heastie.

The Bronx Business Alliance provides local business development initiatives for the Northeast Bronx. This program has been restored to the State budget for the 08-09 fiscal year as the result of Assemblyman Heastie’s efforts. The restoration of this program’s funding in this year’s Budget at $153,000 will help the Business Alliance to continue to serve the businesses in our community. The Bronx Business Alliance has been a tremendous success since its launch on July 17, 2003, providing business assistance to local small business owners.

The Bronx Business Alliance is a great source for FREE business advice for small business and aspiring entrepreneurs in the Bronx.

The Bronx Business Alliance’s mission is to assist the small businesses in the North Bronx. They will assist those who want to start a new business with the necessary start up tools. The Business Alliance offers the following assistance and more: Start-up Assistance, Business Plan Development, Identifying Financing Opportunities, Marketing Assistance, and Financial Management Assistance.

For more information call the Bronx Business Alliance

4309b White Plains Road
718-231-2847 / 718-231-4324 fax

Assemblyman Heastie and Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson have successfully secured continued funding for The Doe Fund’s “Ready Willing & Able Program.” Since 2003, the Doe Fund has had a work crew along White Plains Road from Gun Hill Road to 236th Street, Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm, that collects trash and keeps the sidewalks and streets clean.

The busy commercial corridor of White Plains Road between Gun Hill Road and East 236th Street is litter free through the hard work of the people of the Doe Fund’s “Ready, Willing & Able” initiative. The Doe Fund is a not-for-profit homeless service organization that provides permanent solutions to homelessness through paid work and a host of other social services.

“White Plains Road is a wonderful place to live and shop, but like many neighborhoods in New York City, keeping a handle on the litter problem can often be a challenge,” said Heastie. “With the Ready Willing & Able Crews working every day along White Plains Road we have the clean streets that the community deserves.”

Assemblyman Carl E. Heastie and Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson secured $70,000 in funding for the Doe Fund Inc. during the 2008 Legislative Session to continue this highly successful street cleaning and community beautification project in the Northeast Bronx.