The Sequester Cuts Close to Home for NYC Seniors And Others

White Plains, NY (Law Firm Newswire)May 10, 2013 – In New York, the sequester has affected a number of social services, including hot meal delivery for the elderly and at senior centers.

The cuts have come as part of a package of across-the-board federal budget reductions that were supposed to be so onerous that no one would want to let them happen. However, without a budget deal having been reached, the cuts are happening, and they are having the strongest effect on those who can afford it least.

Multi-agent funds from the government that help produce and even deliver meals for senior citizens have been slashed by more than $1,400,000. Seniors living in New York City are expected to lose as many as 136,000 regular meals, many of which are delivered to home-bound elders; there may also be as many as 260,000 fewer meals served at senior centers. Observers have said that seniors who cannot leave their homes would not be brought meals that they rely on. In addition, more than 100 senior centers may be forced to close due to a lack of funds.

As many as 750,000 U.S. workers are expected to be laid off, and more jobs are threatened.

New York City and the state have lost $3.4 million of federal funding as part of the nationwide budget cuts. People familiar with the situation have said that the financial hit would be felt hardest by individuals rather than the state government, as the cuts are directly affecting people.

Other places where the cuts are expected to hit over the next nine months include public housing, aid to those affected by Superstorm Sandy, and childcare programs. The sequester has slashed $42.7 million from education programs for primary and secondary grades in the state for the upcoming school year.

Close to 600 educators are scheduled to lose their jobs and more than 100 schools may close. Special education is losing more than $36.3 million, and more than 4,000 low-income children will not be able to attend Early Head Start and Head Start programs. The loss of federal funding for free or low-cost vaccines for children, including measles and Hepatitis B, means as many as 1,700 children will not be protected against those diseases.

About Littman Krooks
Littman Krooks LLP provides sophisticated legal advice and the high level of expertise ordinarily associated with large law firms along with the personal attention and responsiveness of smaller firms. These ingredients, which are the cornerstone of effective representation and necessary to a successful lawyer/client relationship, have become the foundation of the firm’s success.

Littman Krooks LLP offers legal services in several areas of law, including elder law, estate planning, special needs planning, special education advocacy, and corporate and securities. Their offices are located at 399 Knollwood Road, White Plains, New York; 655 Third Avenue, New York, New York; and 300 Westage Business Center Drive, Fishkill, New York. For more information about Littman Krooks LLP, visit the website at: www.littmankrooks.com.

New York Contact:
Maria M. Brill
Littman Krooks LLP
(914) 684-2100
mbrill@littmankrooks.com

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