New York  – “The Mayor and Speaker Quinn should be commended for working hard to restore proposed budget cuts to critically important programs for children and families – particularly the restorations to the childcare system.  However, more than $13 million has still been cut from the Out of School Time after school system and millions more from other youth programs, meaning that thousands of New York children will lose access to safe and supportive out of school environments. Any budget is a value statement – a reflection of what we hold near and dear to our hearts and what we feel is expendable and not expendable. Unfortunately, throughout the negotiation process there was never serious consideration of revenue-generating proposals like progressive new income taxes on the wealthiest – leaving low-income and middle income New Yorkers to bear the brunt of the burden. To pass a budget that truly reflects all of New York, every New Yorker must contribute, not just the most vulnerable."