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We previously reported on New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed budget cuts that would take $7 million from the 2013 budget for the city’s Runaway and Homeless Youth Services. This would directly impact LGBT youth, who make up 40% of the homeless youth population.
More than 150 advocates and homeless youth gathered, Thursday, in front of New York City Hall to protest the proposed budget cuts.
More after the jump.
The proposed cuts would eliminate around 160 of 259 shelter beds now funded by the city, advocates said.
According to HuffPo, demonstrators convened in front of City Hall, holding colorfully painted signs with slogans like "Don't take away the one thing we have left," "Can I go to bed now?" and "Don't Kill Us Save Shelter Beds."
Instinct Leading Man, Carl Siciliano, the executive director of the Ali Forney Center and a leader of the Campaign for Youth Shelter—a coalition of LGBT providers and advocates, called on the city to restore $7 million to the 2013 budget proposal, plus add $3 million in annual funding for homeless youth to create 100 new shelter beds.
Siciliano says, "Every year the mayor tries to cut and we're forced to restore this grossly inadequate number of beds," The aforementioned 259 city-funded shelter beds come nowhere close to covering the estimated 4,000 homeless youth.
Siciliano continues, "The fundamental problem is that the mayor is not trying to create any plan for these kids who don't have beds."
We're still waiting for Bloomberg's response. How are you planning to deal with this, Mr. Mayor?
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