ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL
Unemployment Down to 5.2%: The unemployment rate in New York has declined from 8.3% to 5.2% since 1993. 627,600 New Jobs: 627,600 new jobs have been created in New York since 1993 -- an average of 97,808 per year, compared to an average of 129,850 jobs lost per year during the previous administration. 628,300 New Private Sector Jobs: Since 1993, 628,300 new private sector jobs have been created-an average of 97,917 jobs per year, compared to an average loss of 124,600 private sector jobs per year in the previous administration. 55,300 New Construction Jobs: 55,300 construction jobs have been created in New York since 1993 -- an average of 8,618 jobs per year. In contrast, an average of 23,300 construction jobs were lost each year during the previous administration. 553,000 Have Received a Raise: Approximately 189,000 New York workers benefited from an increase in the minimum wage from $4.25 to $4.75 -- on October 1, 1996. They, along with about 364,000 more received an additional raise-from $4.75 to $5.15 -- on September 1, 1997. Home Building Up 5.2%: Home building has increased by an average of 5.2% per year since 1993, after falling over 14.1% per year during the previous four years. A $500 Child Tax Credit to Help Families Raising Children: To help make it easier for families to raise their children, the balanced budget included a $500 per-child tax credit for children under 17. Thanks to President Clinton, the Balanced Budget delivers a child tax credit to 1,727,000 families in New York. Business Failures and Bankruptcy Filings Down: Business failures have dropped 9.6% per year since 1993, after increasing 35.1% per year during the previous four years. Additionally, bankruptcy filings have declined 20.6% per year since 1993, after increasing 10.8% during the previous two administrations. [Oct. 98 data] Over $25,000 of Reduced Federal Debt for Every Family of Four: The national debt will be $1.7 trillion lower in FY99 than projected in 1993 -- that's $25,000 less debt for each family of four in New York this year. 3.2% Growth in Total Bank Loans and Leases: New York has seen a 3.2% average growth rate in total bank loans and leases per year since 1993. In contrast total bank loans and leases fell an average of 3.9% per year during the previous administration. 3.1% Growth in Commercial and Industrial Loans and Leases: Since 1993, New York has experienced a 3.1% annual growth rate in commercial and industrial loans and leases. In contrast, commercial and industrial loans and leases fell an average of 5.5% per year during the previous administration. EXPANDING ACCESS TO EDUCATION
Over 45,000 Children in Head Start: Over 45,000 New York children were enrolled in Head Start in 1998. In FY99, New York will receive $304.0 million in Head Start funding, an increase of $122.1 million over 1993. More High-Quality Teachers With Smaller Classes for New York's Schools: Thanks to President Clinton, the final FY99 budget provides for the first year of the President's new initiative to hire 100,000 new, well-prepared teachers, to reduce class sizes in the early grades to a national average of 18. New York receives $104.5 million in 1999 to hire about 2,688 new public school teachers. And, under President Clinton's proposal, New York would receive $127 million in FY00 to support a total of 3,497 teachers. $35.2 Million in Goals 2000 Funding: This year [FY99], New York receives $35.2 million in Goals 2000 funding. This money is used to raise academic achievement by raising academic standards, increasing parental and community involvement in education, expanding the use of computers and technology in classrooms, and supporting high-quality teacher professional development. 37.6 Million for Technology Literacy: This year [FY99], New York receives $37.6 million for the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund which helps communities and the private sector ensure that every student is equipped with the computer literacy skills needed for the 21st century. Connecting New York's Schools and Libraries to the Internet: The E-rate program is part of the Administration's effort to connect every classroom and library to the information superhighway, giving every child access to the resources and knowledge available online. This program helps schools and libraries by providing discounts of 20 to 90 percent on telecommunications services, internal connections and Internet access - with the largest discounts going to the poorest urban and rural schools. In the first year of funding alone, New York received over $164.5 million in E-rate discounts. $731 Million for Students Most in Need: New York will receive $731 million in Title I grants (to Local Educational Agencies) providing extra help in the basics for students most in need, particularly communities and schools with high concentrations of children in low-income families [FY99]. This is an increase of $52.8 million over FY98 funding. 341,300 Students Will Receive Pell Grants This Year: This year [FY00], New York will receive $711.5 million in Pell Grants for low-income students going to college, benefiting a total of 341,300 New York students. Expanded Work-Study To Help More Students Work Their Way Through College: The FY99 budget includes a significant expansion of the Federal Work Study program. New York will receive $84.4 million in Work-Study funding in 1999 to help New York students work their way through college. Nearly 8,400 Have Served in New York through AmeriCorps: Since the National Service program began in 1993, 8,345 AmeriCorps participants have earned money for college while working in New York's schools, hospitals, neighborhoods or parks. [through 11/98] Tuition Tax Credits in Balanced Budget Open the Doors of College and Promote Lifelong Learning: The balanced budget included both President Clinton's $1,500 HOPE Scholarship to help make the first two years of college as universal as a high school diploma and a Lifetime Learning Tax Credit for college juniors, seniors, graduate students and working Americans pursuing lifelong learning to upgrade their skills. This 20% tax credit will be applied to the first $5,000 of tuition and fees through 2002 and to the first $10,000 thereafter. 344,000 students in New York will receive a HOPE Scholarship tax credit of up to $1,500. 414,000 students in New York will receive the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. [fully phased-in FY00 estimate] Expanded Job Training to New York's Dislocated Workers: Thanks to President Clinton, the FY99 budget includes a significant expansion in the dislocated worker program. New York will receive $118.3 million in 1999 to help 70,090 of New York's dislocated workers get the training and reemployment services they need to return to work as quickly as possible. FIGHTING CRIME AND VIOLENCE
Crime Falls 33% in New York: Since 1992, serious crime in New York has fallen 33%. Violent crime and property crime have also declined 39% and 32% respectively. [1992 and 1997 Uniform Crime Reports] Crime Has Dropped Sharply in Major Cities: In New York City, between 1992 and 1997, serious crime, as indicated by the crime index, has declined 43%, with a 61% drop in murder, and a 51% drop in robbery. In addition, serious crime has also declined 28% in Rochester and 11% in Syracuse. [1992 and 1997 Uniform Crime Reports] Juvenile Arrests Down in New York: New York's juvenile murder arrests have decreased 89% between 1992 and 1997. [FBI, Uniform Crime Report, 1992 and 1997] 10,554 More Police: The President's 1994 Crime Bill funded 10,554 new police officers in communities across New York. [through 7/99] Buffalo Will Receive Targeted Funding to Hire More Community Police: Buffalo was selected as a pilot city for the President's new effort to target high crime neighborhoods. The pilot program will provide full funding for new officers by waiving the usual matching requirements. Buffalo will deploy new officers to help meet the unique needs of its community, such as combating gangs or targeting drug "hot spots." Reducing Crime with Drug Courts: Working to reduce drug-related crime in New York, the Clinton Administration has awarded Drug Court grants to the communities of Amherst, Ithaca, Syracuse, Renssalear County, Rockland County, and Suffolk County. The Administration had previously awarded grants to a number of New York communities including: Brooklyn, Buffalo, Rochester, the Bronx, Niagara Falls, Oswego, Queens, Albany, Fulton, Lackawanna, Mayville, Mount Vernon, New City, New York City, and Tonawanda. Drug courts use the coercive power of the criminal justice system to combine drug testing, sanctions, supervision and treatment to push nonviolent, drug-abusing offenders to stop using drugs and committing crimes. $15 Million to Combat Domestic Violence: Through the Violence Against Women Act, New York received $15.1 million in federal funds in FY98 to establish more women's shelters and bolster law enforcement, prosecution and victims' services. Nearly $3.9 Million in Grants for Battered Women and Children: In FY98, New York received $3.9 million in HHS's Family Violence Prevention Program grants to assist women and children fleeing domestic abuse, an additional $672,000 increase over FY97. $32.7 Million to Keep Drugs & Violence Out of New York's Schools: New York receives $32.7 million in FY99 for the Safe & Drug Free Schools Program, which invests in school security and drug prevention programs. MOVING NEW YORKERS FROM WELFARE TO WORK
351,220 Fewer People on Welfare: There are 351,220 fewer people on welfare in New York now than there were at the beginning of 1993 -- an 30% decline. [through 3/99] Child Support Collections Up 74%: Child support collections have increased by $359 million-or 65% -- in New York since FY92. [through FY98] Encouraging Responsible Choices-Preventing Teen Pregnancy in New York: Since 1993, President Clinton and Vice President Gore have supported innovative and promising teen pregnancy prevention strategies, with significant components of the strategy becoming law in the 1996 Personal Responsibility Act. The law requires unmarried minor parents to stay in school and live at home or in a supervised setting; encourages "second chance homes" to provide teen parents with the skills and support they need; and provides $50 million a year in new funding for state abstinence education activities. Efforts are making a difference, adolescent pregnancy rates and teen abortion rates are declining. And between 1992 and 1997, teen birth rates declined 14% in New York. $170.1 Million for New York Welfare-to-Work: In 1998, New York received $96.9 million in Federal welfare-to-work state formula grants (the state matched $48.4 million in funding), helping New York welfare recipients get and keep jobs. In addition, $24.7 million in competitive grants were awarded to New York localities to support innovative welfare-to-work strategies and Native American tribes in New York received $33,000 in Federal funding. Part of the President's comprehensive efforts to move recipients from welfare to work, this funding was included in the $3 billion welfare to work fund in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. Helping People Get to Work: Through the Access to Jobs initiative, the Clinton-Gore Administration is working with communities across the country to design transportation solutions to help welfare recipients and other low-income workers get to and from work. Yonkers, Nassau County, New York City, Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Herkimer-Oneida County, Franklin County, Hornell, Schoharie, Sulllivan County, and Ulster County have received a total of $3.14 million this year to fund innovative transit projects. INVESTING IN NEW YORK'S HEALTH
Health Care for Uninsured Children: The balanced budget included the largest single investment in health care for children since the passage of Medicaid in 1965 -- an unprecedented $24 billion over five years to cover as many as five million children throughout the nation. This investment guarantees the full range of benefits-from checkups to surgery -- that children need to grow up strong and healthy. It ensures that prescription drugs, vision, hearing, and mental health coverage now offered at the state level are extended to millions of uninsured children. To expand health coverage to more uninsured children in New York the balanced budget provided $255.7 million in 1998. This compares to the 1995 Republican plan vetoed by President Clinton that would have denied health care coverage to 454,600 children in New York. Helping Over 480,000 New York Women and Children with WIC: The Clinton Administration is committed to full funding in the Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). In FY98, New York received $274.4 million in total WIC grant funding, helping 482,900 women, infants and children in need receive health and food assistance, 53,000 more than in 1994. More Toddlers Are Being Immunized: As a result of the President's 1993 Childhood Immunization Initiative, childhood immunization rates have reached an historic high. According to the CDC,by 1996, 90% or more of America's toddlers received the most critical doses of each of the routinely recommended vaccines-surpassing the President's 1993 goal. In New York in 1997, 98% of two-year olds received the vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis; 91% received the vaccine for polio; 94% received the vaccine for measles, and 93% received the vaccine for Haemophilus influenzae B, the bacteria causing a form of meningitis. Increased Funding for Ryan White by $935.1 Million: Between 1993 and 1998, New York communities received $935.1 million in Ryan White formula and other HIV/AIDS program funds. This funding provides people living with HIV and AIDS medical and support services, including the AIDS Drug Assistance Program which helps those without insurance obtain much needed prescription drugs. [HHS, Health Resources and Services Administration, 12/98] Tobacco Plan Will Cut Smoking and Premature Deaths by 35% in New York: The Clinton Administration's tobacco proposal, combined with the recently enacted state tobacco settlements, will cut youth smoking and resulting premature deaths 35% in New York by 2004. Between 2000 and 2004, 195,200 of New York's youth will be kept from smoking and 62,500 will be spared a premature tobacco-related death. [Treasury Dept., 2/99] 7,570,000 Americans in New York Cannot Be Assured They Have Patient Protections: Even if New York enacted all the protections in the Patients' Bill of Rights, 7,570,000 people in New York cannot be assured they have the comprehensive patient protections recommended by the President's Advisory Commission. This is because the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) may preempt state-enacted protections. That is why the President has called on Congress to pass a federally enforceable patients' bill of rights so that everyone enrolled in managed care may have a basic set of protections. Notably, 3,800,000 New York women are in ERISA health plans and are therefore not necessarily protected. Women are particularly vulnerable without these protections because they are greater users of health care services, they make three-quarters of the health care decisions for their families, and they have specific health care needs addressed by a patients' bill of rights. PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
27 Toxic Waste Sites Cleaned Up: Since 1993, the EPA has completed 27 Superfund toxic waste cleanups in New York. The sites are located in Hauppauge, Glenwood Landing, Endicott, Shelby, Hyde Park, Johnstown, Oswego, Ramapo, Hamilton, Holbrook, Granby, Conklin, Farmingdale (3), Cold Spring, North Sea, Oyster Bay (2), Brewster, Deer Park, Hicksville, South Glen Falls, South Cairo, Vestal, Warwick, and Woodside, Queens [through 6/99]. This is more than four times the number of sites cleaned up in New York during the previous twelve years combined. $51.3 Million in Safe Drinking Water Funding: This year [FY99], thanks to President Clinton, New York will receive $47.2 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds to provide low-interest loans to municipalities to build, improve, and prevent pollution of drinking water systems. In addition, New York will receive $4.1 million in Public Water Supply Supervision grants to help monitor drinking water quality and enforce health standards. Revitalizing Brownfields Projects in New York: As part of the Clinton-Gore Administration's efforts to clean up Brownfields, the EPA has awarded grants to communities in New York-Buffalo, Ogdensburg, Utica, Yonkers, Elmira, New York City, Niagara Falls, Rochester, Glen Cove, and Rome-as well as Niagara and Ulster Counties, for environmental clean-up and economic revitalization. These projects are intended to jump-start local clean-up efforts by providing funds to return unproductive, abandoned, contaminated urban properties to productive use. SPEARHEADING RURAL AND URBAN RENEWAL EFFORTS
Revitalizing New York's Communities: Harlem and the South Bronx were designated as Urban Empowerment Zones in 1994 and were awarded $100 million to create more jobs, housing, and economic opportunity. Already, Rite Aid, Blockbuster Video, the Gap and the Disney Company have either opened Harlem stores or announced plans to do so. An estimated $1 billion will be invested in Harlem over the next 10 years as a result of this Empowerment Zone designation. In addition, Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and Newburgh were designated Enterprise Communities, and were awarded $3 million each to pursue similar efforts. In 1999, Plattsburgh and New York City/Brooklyn were designated Strategic Planning Communities. Expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Will Help Develop 9,200 To 11,000 New Affordable Housing Units in New York Over the Next 5 Years: Last year, the President and Vice President pushed for a 40-percent expansion in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. This year, the President and Vice President will try again to enact tax incentives to develop affordable housing. In New York alone, this proposal would mean an additional 9,200 - 11,000 quality rental housing units for low-income American families during the next five years. Helping Rural New Yorkers: Since 1993, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has invested more than $839.2 million in New York for rural economic development efforts including rural water and sewer, housing and business assistance.[through FY98] PROVIDING DISASTER RELIEF
$347 Million in Federal Emergency Assistance: Since 1993, New York has received $347 million in disaster relief. This includes $68 million for severe winter and ice storms, high winds, flooding, and tornadoes in 1998, and $123 million in assistance to recover from severe flooding that occurred in January of 1996. [FEMA, 12/98] EXPANDING FUNDS FOR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT
Over $6 Billion in Federal Highway Aid: Since 1993, New York has received over $6 billion in federal highway aid. Included in this funding is $47.5 million for emergency relief in response to natural disasters and $5.1 million for scenic byways. These funds have helped generate 254,021 jobs. [through FY98] Over $438 Million in Aviation Funds: From FY93-FY98 New York received over $438 million in Airport Improvement Program funds to help build and renovate airports, and, when necessary, to provide funds for noise abatement to improve the quality of life for residents who live near airports. Over $5 Billion in Transit Funds: Since 1993, New York has received over $5.1 billion in Federal Transit Funding. This has included $2.3 million in Livable Communities funds. Saving Lives and Properties: In 1997 the United States Coast Guard saved 268 lives and over $45.6 million of property in New York.
Last Updated August 1999
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