Council Member Robert Holden condemned Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Finance Chair Justin Brannan for failing to provide adequate funding for veterans in the FY2026 Budget. Despite the overall budget of $116 billion, no additional investment was made in veteran services. Funding remains the same as FY2025 at $3.37 million, with small allocations for services like homeless prevention, job placement, and mental health. Holden accused both leaders of neglecting veterans while campaigning for other political offices and emphasized the need for increased support for the veteran population.
Council Member Robert Holden has criticized Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Finance Chair Justin Brannan for not allocating extra funds for veterans in the FY2026 Budget, despite increased funding for other city services.
Holden pointed out that funding for Veterans Services Initiatives has not increased from the FY2025 level, maintaining a budget of $3.37 million with minimal allocations for crucial services.
The FY2026 Budget included specific allocations, such as $540,000 for Veteran Resource Centers and $1.27 million for Veterans Community Development, but Holden emphasizes that it still falls short.
Holden has expressed frustration towards Adams and Brannan for their perceived neglect of veteran needs while they pursued their political ambitions during recent campaigns.
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