The 2011 Federal Budget cuts come in the midst of an ongoing Recession that has burdened states with high populations of color, most of all. Yet, when we cut health and job training services to those who need it most, we lose our opportunity to build a healthy and strong country.  And New York is no exception.  New York, ranks 24^th in CSI’s 2011 Impact Index and faces increased rates of uninsurance, unemployment, and poverty.  New York City is set to grapple with tough decisions on the budget, while Congress is set to tackle both the debt ceiling and the 2012 budget.   Our finding show that the 2011 Congressional Cuts in WIC funding, energy assistance, health access, and job training are likely to have negative consequences for all New York City’s vulnerable residents, especially residents of color.  For example, Congress gutted over $600 million in assistance to Community Health Clinics.  Yet, the majority of federally funded health clinics in the city primarily serve residents of color in concentrated areas in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens.

As budget cuts impact our most vulnerable residents, and residents of color, first and hardest, we recommend the following:

Future budget resolutions must be more transparent and accountable.  As the largest generation in our country’s history grows older and people of color become the majority of the nation’s population, lawmakers at all levels must analyze the impacts of their choices along the following dimensions:

• Race and Ethnicity


• Gender


• Age


• Median-Household Income


• Residential zip code

Demands an open and honest conversation in the impending budget debates about alternative revenue sources as well as smart and strategic investments in community valued programs like transit, education, and workforce development.

The United States Congress should work to restore vital funding for community health clinics that provide essential services to women, the uninsured, and people of color.

The United States Congress should ensure that anti-poverty programs remain fully funded in the 2012 budget