The homecare industry runs on the backs of its immigrant women workforce. Only in NYC, are these women expected to work 24-hour shifts with no time to sleep or eat, caring for elders and people with disabilities who need constant care. Insurance companies and homecare agencies withhold 11 hours of wages from these shifts, adding a massive wage theft scheme to these inhumane conditions. The No More 24 Act would put an end to this human rights crisis, but has not been brought to a vote. Council Member Marte would ensure this bill passes and these barbaric conditions finally end.

New York City is betraying the people who dedicated their lives to serve it. City retirees may be forced off their Medicare plans and onto Medicare Advantage - a move so bad that it’s actually a part of Trump’s platform. Instead of standing up for its workers, the City Council leadership has refused to bring crucial legislation to a vote to protect Medicare for retirees. Council Member Marte would immediately right this wrong, and ensure that our city’s retired workforce can continue to have the access to doctors and healthcare that they were promised.

Our city is failing to defend the rights of those who keep it running. As the son of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Council Member Marte knows that old and new, immigrant New Yorkers are the cultural heartbeat and economic engine of New York City. Under his Speakership, the Council will drastically expand free legal services, strengthen labor protections, end collaboration with ICE, while ensuring City services are truly accessible in every language. We must restore New York City as a Sanctuary City, where immigrants are not just welcomed, but allowed to live in peace.

Our public schools have the potential to set up generations of New Yorkers for success. With smaller class sizes, robust afterschool programs, tailored support for different learning styles, and universal 3K and childcare, our city’s families can once again thrive. While the State may control many education-related legislative efforts, the City can fund the principles it believes in.

From the horses in Central Park to the countless cats, dogs, and other creatures in overcrowded shelters, animals in New York City are treated as disposable. Our City continues to allow practices that inflict immense suffering and cruel confinement on companion and working animals. As Speaker, Council Member Marte will create an Animal Welfare Committee to ensure the health and wellness of all of our city’s living creatures is prioritized. The City Council must ban horse carriages, fund TNR programs, and support responsible pet ownership to break this cycle of abandonment and abuse.

New York City spends less of its budget on parks than any other major city in the U.S. Allocating at least 1% of the budget to our Parks Department will not only keep our parks cleaner and greener, but also create opportunities for better jobs, more trees on our streets, and more support for our community gardens.