Santosuosso explains vote - FEPS, NYCHA vacancies, parks, small business

Santos Suoso.

Permission to explain my vote?

Permission granted.

I want to thank the mayor and speaker and definitely their respective staffs for landing the plane today.

And in particular, I'm grateful that our FEPS lawsuit is dropped and that we're on a path to preventing thousands more evictions.

I'm hopeful that in budgets to come, that number expands.

And I'm grateful to the Progressive Caucus and Councilmember Pierina Sanchez for the leadership and commitment to FEPS.

At the same time, I'm disappointed that other progressive caucus priorities did not make it to the levels of funding that they should have today, and in particular, funding to fill NYCHA vacancies and funding for expanding supportive housing, which constituents in my district would have benefited enormously from.

I'm saddened that we're missing out on the urgent and important opportunity we had to house people faster.

And so for those in my district facing eviction but unable to apply for city FEPS on a NYCHA waitlist or in need of supportive housing, we have not forgotten you and we will continue fighting for you.

In positive news, I'm excited for the baselining of parks workers and hopeful that this puts us on a path to securing a baseline 1% of the budget for parks.

I'm also thrilled at the funding for libraries, child care, and immigration legal services.

This budget will also fund big projects in our district from new school gymnasiums and science labs to a new school gymnasium.

improvements to the beloved Coney Island Aquarium.

Additionally, we secured millions of dollars in funding for nonprofits to continue their critical work across the district.

I have been inspired time and time again by the clarity, intelligence, and courage displayed by my colleagues throughout this process, especially the Progressive Caucus.

We have a long road ahead of us to create a more affordable, equitable, and just city, but we also have leaders of conviction and integrity to lead the way.

So I vote aye on the budget.

On legislation, I proudly vote aye on 910A that will prevent thousands of New York City small business owners from having to pay upwards of $10,000 to replace their roll-down security gates.

That's important to me as a small business owner.

Thank you to Councilmember Althea Stevens for your swift action with this legislation.

I'm voting no on 553 simply because there's already a state program that covers this that is underutilized.

And I'm voting no on 929 because at a time when protest is being punished by this presidential administration, I don't want to ascribe my name to something that even hints at the possibility of curtailing First Amendment rights, though I'm grateful for all of the amendments to this legislation.

And I on the remainder.

Thank you all.

Congratulations on the budget.

Thank you, Councilmember.