Epstein explains vote on 692A and elected official salary increase
Council Member Harvey Epstein thanks De La Rosa, the Speaker, and Chair Aldebol. He shares that paras were critical to his own children's education, calls $32,000/year unlivable, and calls the bill a wise investment. He also supports the elected official salary increase, noting council pay is below nonprofit salaries from over a decade ago.
Permission to explain my vote.
Permission granted.
Thank you, Majority Leader.
I really also want to thank Councilman De La Rosa, our speaker, Chair Audubon.
You think about it, you know, I went to public school, my kids went to public school, and
In those classes, the paraprofessionals change lives.
I know for my kids who struggled with learning disabilities, the paras were critical to their education.
And to say to New Yorkers that you can live on $32,000 a year
is beyond belief.
No one here, no one in this city thinks anyone who lives in any of our districts can survive in this great city of ours on 32,000.
This is a small step in the direction to say to the paras and to the UFT that we see you, that we care about you.
We want you to stay in this profession.
The idea that we either have 1,600 or 3,000 vacancies because people can't afford to take these jobs just continues to mean that we're spending more money someplace else.
This is a wise investment in our city, a wise investment in our power professionals, and a wise investment in our future.
I really want to applaud us all.
For taking this stance today.
I want to applaud us all for taking the leadership, of course, with Speaker of Menon leading all the way, Carmen De La Rosa, and my assembly member, Keith Powers, that we wouldn't be here today with them and the powers who stand up every day.
I vote aye, and I want to also, just one last message around the salary increase, I think.
It's you know we need to make sure that leaders in our city want these jobs and salaries That we get paid are below even nonprofit salaries like when I even
I got paid when I was in a nonprofit leader I got paid more than ten years ago that I get paid today
And if we really want these people in our profession to make our city better, we need to do it by understanding that salaries mean something to people doing these jobs.
I really applaud the commission and the work we did and what we're doing today on that vote.
Thank you.
Farias.
I'd probably vote aye on all.
Felder.
I vote aye on all, no on intro 972.
Thank you.