The People’s Budget is a campaign fighting for a New York City that puts people first—not budget cuts, criminalization, or corruption. We are laying out a bold vision for a budget that invests in education, mental health, housing-first policies, and immigrant protections—not the failed austerity agenda of Mayor Eric Adams.
Delivering a Vision for a People’s NYC
In 2025, we are launching the People’s Budget Campaign to demand:
✅ Affordable futures for families – Fully funded education from 3-K to CUNY
✅ REAL public safety – Investments in mental health, housing-first policies, and immigrant protections
✅ A city that values people over cuts and collusion
Mayor Adams has repeatedly gutted essential services while prioritizing police, corporate handouts, and his wealthy donors. We reject his cuts-and-handcuffs agenda and demand a budget that works for all New Yorkers.
United Against Federal Budget Cuts & Attacks on Vulnerable Communities
We stand united against Trump’s threats of budget cuts and mass deportations. Now more than ever, New York’s leaders must protect our city’s social safety net—not do Trump’s bidding by slashing services that working-class New Yorkers rely on.
📢 Join us as we kick off the fight for a People’s Budget that prioritizes #CareNotCuts
On May 1, 2025, Mayor Eric Adams released the Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.
Thanks to your support, we’ve already won 54% of our People’s Budget demands in the Mayor’s Executive Budget!
Alongside our colleagues in City Council, here’s what WE’VE won so far:
- 🎒 $90 million baselined to public schools
- 🎓 $96 million restored to CUNY
- 👶 $222 million in funding and restorations for 3-K, Pre-K, childcare, and outreach
This is a HUGE milestone after three long years of organizing against Mayor Adams’ cuts. But let’s be clear: these are restorations—not new investments—and many critical needs are still being ignored.
Where we are falling short? REAL public safety.
REAL public safety includes investments in crisis response and continuum of care, housing-first policies, and immigrant protections. The City Council’s response to the preliminary budget included many of these investments, and we urge the Council to continue pushing for these budget priorities in their negotiations with this mayoral administration.
Protect Immigrant New Yorkers ($152M): Invest in legal services, sanctuary zones, and rapid response funds to safeguard Immigrant New Yorkers from Trump’s mass deportation scheme.
Fund from Crisis to Care ($90M): Fund the Progressive Caucus’ proposal to expand peer-led crisis teams, fund mental health and substance use care, and support frontline responders.
Fund CityFHEPS Housing ($215M): Ensure funding promised in City of All is used to expand CityFHEPS as an eviction prevention tool for those most vulnerable to housing instability.
FY26 People’s Budget Platform
FUND PUBLIC EDUCATION & AFFORDABLE FUTURES FROM 3-K TO CUNY ($429.3M)
Invest in Public Education ($93.3M): Sustain critical education programs at risk of being rolled back or eliminated as soon as July 2025. Protect schools and education budgets from cuts.
- Community Schools ($14M): Provide wrap-around services, such as after-school programming, adult education classes, and healthcare to students and their families.
- Restorative Justice ($12M): Implement restorative justice practices to improve school climate, reduce suspensions, and address conflicts through reparative methods.
- Mental Health Continuum ($5M): Offer a range of mental health services within schools to support students’ emotional well-being and address mental health challenges.
- Immigrant Family Communications and Outreach ($4M): Ensure immigrant families are informed and engaged in their children’s education.
- Student Success Centers ($3.3M): Provide college and career readiness resources, guidance, and support to help students navigate post-secondary opportunities.
- Arts Programming ($41M): Fund arts education programs to foster creativity, critical thinking, and cultural awareness among students.
- Teacher Recruitment ($10M): Initiatives that attract and retain qualified teachers, ensuring high-quality instruction across all schools.
- High-Impact Tutoring ($4M): Provide targeted tutoring services to accelerate learning and address academic gaps among students.
Restore CUNY ($114M): Restore lost funding, faculty, and staff; end hiring freezes and fill vacancies. Boost funding for advisors, ASAP, and MetroCards to support CUNY students.
- Restore CUNY Funding ($100M): Reverse budget cuts to ensure quality education, faculty support, and resources for CUNY students.
- Academic Advisors ($13M): Fund additional advisors to provide students with guidance on coursework, graduation pathways, and career planning.
- CUNY MetroCards Pilot ($1M): Launch a pilot program to provide MetroCards for undergraduate students, reducing transportation barriers to education.
Restore Childcare ($222M): Recommit to and restore universal 3K, Pre-K and childcare with funding for outreach. Ensure salary parity and timely payments for early childhood workers.
- Restore 3-K ($112M): Reinstate funding to preserve free, high-quality 3-K programs and prevent loss of early education access for families.
- Preschool Special Education ($55M): Fund special education preschool classes to meet growing demand and provide necessary support for children with disabilities.
- Extended Day/Year 3-K & Pre-K ($25M): Increase seats for extended day and year-round early childhood programs for more accessible, full-day options.
- Promise NYC ($25M): Sustain childcare assistance for undocumented families.
- Early Childhood Outreach ($5M): Strengthen outreach efforts to connect families with available early childhood education programs and resources.
INVEST IN REAL PUBLIC SAFETY ($250M)
Fund from Crisis to Care ($90M): Fund the Progressive Caucus’ proposal to expand peer-led crisis teams, fund mental health and substance use care, and support frontline responders.
- Expand mental health services ($84.3M): Strengthen support, eliminate waitlists, and enhance infrastructure for mental health, substance use, and justice-involved people.
- Intensive Mobile Treatment (IMT) Teams ($30M): Expand IMT teams to provide intensive, community-based mental health support.
- Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) Teams ($7M): Enhance FACT teams to support people in the criminal legal system, from $15M to $21M.
- Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) ($6.3M): Fund microgrants ($4.8M) and Home+ provider support ($1.5M) to assist survivors.
- Justice Involved Supportive Housing ($26M annually): Reissue RFP for 380 new supportive housing units with funding aligned to other high-need groups.
- Respite Centers ($6M): Establish four new respite centers, with $12M baselined for future operational costs.
- Mobile Syringe Service Expansion ($9M): Increase peer support teams and mobile units to expand harm reduction services in underserved neighborhoods.
- Enhancing crisis response workforce conditions ($5.5M) by expanding peer specialists in mental health teams and improving support for frontline staff citywide.
- Peer Specialist Positions ($4.5M): Fund 60 additional well-compensated Peer Specialists to strengthen mental health and crisis response teams.
- EMS Wellness & Peer Support Program ($1M): Pilot a program with a crisis hotline, social workers, EMS peer support staff, and monthly support groups.
Fund CityFHEPS Housing ($215M): Ensure funding promised in City of All is used to expand CityFHEPS as an eviction prevention tool for those most vulnerable to housing instability.
- Mental Health & Substance Use Housing Pilot ($10M): Fund a drop-in center and 166-bed facility offering housing as an alternative to arrest or involuntary commitment.
Protect Immigrant New Yorkers ($152M): Invest in legal services and rapid response funds to safeguard Immigrant New Yorkers from Trump’s mass deportation scheme.
- Immigration Legal Services ($59M): Ensure continuity of services and help defend immigrants against Trump’s ongoing aggressive, anti-immigrant policies.
- Citywide Rapid Response Fund ($20M): Provide emergency legal aid, housing, and food assistance for families impacted by or facing immigration enforcement.
- Immigrant Opportunity Initiative ($40M): Funds legal services for immigrants, including asylum, DACA, and naturalization for New York’s immigrant communities.
- New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) ($33.2M): Fund legal defense for detained immigrants to keep them united with their families and communities.