Coalition of Leading Nonprofits Urges NYS Leaders to Tax Wealthiest Residents to Secure Social Safety Net
New York, NY (April 13, 2026) — A coalition of nearly 40 leading advocacy and social service organizations sent a formal letter to New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie earlier this month, urging the State Legislature to implement higher taxes on New York’s wealthiest residents and corporations. The coalition argues that generating these robust revenue streams is the only way to safeguard essential services as federal support for vulnerable populations continues to erode.
"We write in support of higher taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers and corporations, and to urge you to stand strong in budget negotiations to protect New Yorkers who struggle the most, and the nonprofit sector that supports them," the coalition stated in the letter, which can be read in full here. Coverage of the letter can also be found in this New York Daily News story.
A Growing Healthcare and Nutrition Crisis
The urgency of the coalition's request is underscored by a looming "healthcare cliff." In April alone, 450,000 New Yorkers were notified that they will lose health coverage starting July 1st as access to subsidized Essential Plans becomes severely limited. Simultaneously, federal cuts to SNAP and Medicaid threaten to leave thousands of families without basic necessities.
Research conducted by the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF) reveals a troubling "chilling effect" within immigrant communities. Fear and uncertainty surrounding federal benefits are leading eligible New Yorkers to disenroll from Medicaid and SNAP, fearing that utilizing these services could jeopardize their immigration status or future path to citizenship.
The Vital Role of the Nonprofit Sector
The letter serves as a direct rebuttal to recent statements by State Budget Director Blake Washington suggesting that New York’s social spending has grown too large. The signatory organizations emphasize that the nonprofit sector is the primary sanctuary for New Yorkers in crisis, and cutting costs at this stage would be catastrophic.
“We have built trust as culturally responsive and language accessible service providers," the letter states. "The State must prioritize nonprofits as essential because we are deeply embedded in the neighborhoods we serve.”
The coalition concludes with a final plea to state leadership: "The budget should not be balanced on the backs of New Yorkers who struggle the most."
“From Buffalo to Brooklyn, AAPI families are struggling to put food on the table amidst federal cuts to vital healthcare and nutrition programs,” said Anita Gundanna and Vanessa Leung, Co-Executive Directors of CACF. “While nonprofits continue to step up, the social safety net is being stretched to a breaking point. New York must tax its wealthiest residents to ensure the Empire State has the funding streams it needs to ensure we do not leave our immigrant families, refugees, elders, and survivors of violence behind.”
"New York’s strength is rooted in its diversity, compassion, and commitment to justice. The state’s budget is a moral document, yet Black, AAPI, Caribbean, and Latinx immigrant and LGBTQ+ New Yorkers continue to bear the brunt of deep economic inequities while the wealthiest pay far less than their fair share,” said Mohamed Q. Amin, Founder and Executive Director, Caribbean Equality Project. We’re calling on state lawmakers and Governor Kathy Hochul to tax the rich—not out of punishment, but out of moral obligation—to fully fund lifesaving housing, healthcare, language access, legal services, and community safety programs that enable our communities to thrive. Protecting immigrants and LGBTQ+ New Yorkers means investing in our collective dignity and future, not balancing the budget on the backs of those already struggling to survive to preserve privilege.”
“As an organization led by and for Indo-Caribbean survivors, Jahajee calls on Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to protect and fully fund the social services that survivors across New York depend on to live with safety and stability,” said Simone Jhingoor, Executive Director at Jahajee: Indo-Caribbeans for Gender Justice. “For many in our communities, these services are not optional— they are lifelines. At a time of growing inequality, we cannot continue to ask those already navigating harm and hardship to carry the burden of budget cuts. We need bold leadership that reflects our values: investing in care, healing, and community-based safety, and ensuring that the wealthiest New Yorkers contribute their fair share so all can thrive.”
“As elected officials continue to negotiate New York State’s budget, Mekong NYC urges our state’s leaders to protect our most vulnerable New Yorkers – and non-profits like ours who are dedicated to serving them. In the Bronx, where Mekong NYC is based, 1 in 5 residents faces food insecurity—the highest rate in New York City. This population of food-insecure residents includes many of our community members: Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees and immigrants, many of whom are over the age of 55, and rely on critical safety net programs like SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, SSDI, and cash assistance to survive,” said Socheatta Meng, Executive Director, Mekong NYC. As New York City’s wealthiest grow wealthier, it is shameful that they do not pay their fair share of taxes, as our poorest New Yorkers lose access to necessities such as food, health coverage, and housing. It is a moral imperative that we pass a budget that prioritizes the well-being of New Yorkers who struggle the most. We urge New York’s leaders to set higher taxes for the wealthiest New Yorkers, to strengthen social services, and ensure that our communities are not left behind.”
The deaf and disabled community here in New York City comprises over documented 200,000 Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind, who are the largest recipients of social services,” said Clement So, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Asian Deaf Association. “Any reduction or cuts to the social services can severely impact how they live their lives independently as they rely on social services to provide financial support for their families, for food security to ensure kids and families are well fed, and to prevent further more isolation and loneliness due to no money to go out and be productive to the society.”
"At a moment when fear and financial instability are already pushing our communities to the edge, the State cannot balance its budget on the backs of those who can least afford it. Muslim Community Network serves over 8,000 New Yorkers each year. Every cut to social services is a cut to real people's lives. Albany must increase taxes on the wealthy to protect the everyday New Yorkers and the nonprofit sector that hold this city together,” said Husein Yatabarry, Executive Director, Muslim Community Network (MCN).
“At Project New Yorker—the only Bangladeshi nonprofit learning center focused on women and youth—we show up every day for families in our community. Our work is not optional, it is essential. We bridge gaps in technology, health, and access to resources so under-resourced women and families can thrive in an increasingly digital world. We ask State leadership to invest in nonprofits like ours and ensure the wealthiest pay their fair share, so that too often overlooked New Yorkers are not left behind,” said Afsana Monir, Founder and Executive Director at Project New Yorker.
"The South Asian Women’s Project proudly stands with this call to protect and strengthen New York’s social safety net. Every day, we support immigrant women facing systemic barriers, and we see firsthand how vital nonprofit services are to their survival and dignity. We urge state leaders to tax the wealthiest fairly and reject cuts that would harm our communities because an equitable New York requires bold investment in those most impacted,” said Rahnum Tasnuva, the founder and Executive Director of the South Asian Women’s Project.
About the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF):
CACF is the nation’s only pan-Asian children and families' advocacy organization. CACF challenges stereotypes and builds a community voice to improve the health and well-being of Asian American Pacific Islander children and families in New York and beyond.
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