THROUGH THE YEARS, SUNY DOWNSTATE MEDICAL CENTER IN BROOKLYN HAS FACED A SLEW OF FINANCIAL ISSUES, WHICH WAS LARGELY IN PART DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

AT THE TOP OF THE YEAR, THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED CLOSING THE HOSPITAL AND DIVERTING SERVICES BY THE SUMMER, LEADING TO GREAT OPPOSITION FROM ADVOCATES AND LAWMAKERS, WHILE THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS WERE ENGROSSED IN NEGOTIATIONS.

IN THE END, THE FINAL ENACTED BUDGET INCLUDED FUNDING TO KEEP THE HOSPITAL OPEN FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

WE SPOKE WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER BRIAN CUNNINGHAM, WHO REPRESENTS THE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT THAT THE HOSPITAL FALLS IN, ABOUT THE WORK TO KEEP IT OPEN AND HIS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, ASSEMBLY MEMBER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

OF COURSE I KNOW THAT THE STATE BUDGET HAS JUST RECENTLY BEEN PASSED AND LAWMAKERS WORKED THROUGH THE WEEKEND TO GET IT OVER THE LEGISLATIVE FINISH LINE.

SO I WANTED TO GET YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE OVERALL BUDGET PROCESS THIS YEAR, AND HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE POLICY ITEMS THAT ULTIMATELY MADE IT IN THE FINAL ENACTED BUDGET?

OBVIOUSLY I THINK OUR LEADER CARL HEASTIE ALWAYS DOES A GOOD JOB AT MASTERFULLY NEGOTIATING A VERY TOUGH BUDGET PROCESS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE REGIONS OF THE STATE, WITH REGARDS TO PRIORITIES OF THE STATE, AND TRYING TO COMPROMISE WITH THE GOVERNOR.

I THINK NO STATE BUDGET IS PERFECT, BUT DEFINITELY THE BUDGET REFLECTS THE VALUES OF THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY AND THE GOVERNOR.

I THINK WE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THINGS WITH HOUSING, AGAIN, NOT PERFECT, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO DO SOME REALLY AMAZING THINGS IN THIS BUDGET.

I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE DOWNSTATE, WHICH IS PROBABLY TOP OF MIND FOR ME THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT CAME OUT OF THE STATE BUDGET TO RETURN BACK HOME.

I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED SUNY DOWNSTATE.

YOU'VE BEEN PRETTY VOCAL ON YOUR OPPOSITION TO ANY PLANS TO CLOSE DOWN THE HOSPITAL.

IT'S NO SECRET THAT SUNY DOWNSTATE HAS FACED A LOT OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES THROUGH THE YEARS, BUT LUCKILY IN THE BUDGET, THE BUDGET INCLUDED CAPITAL FUNDING FOR THE HOSPITAL AND FUNDING TO HELP WITH THE OVERALL OPERATIONS OF THE HOSPITAL AND TO IMPLEMENT AN ADVISORY BOARD.

SO I WANTED TO GET YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.

DO YOU THINK IT IS ENOUGH?

WELL, LET ME SAY THIS.

WHILE I'M HAPPY THAT MY BILL MADE IT INTO THE BUDGET AND WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE DOWNSTATE WITH, LIKE YOU SAID, THE MAKEUP OF A COMMISSION, A COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH IS GOING TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF DOWNSTATE, AND OBVIOUSLY THE FUNDING, WHICH IS SO CRITICAL, BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD IN JANUARY THAT THE HOSPITAL COULD CLOSE BY JULY OF THIS YEAR, OBVIOUSLY AN INVESTMENT OF $100 MILLION IN EXPENSE FOR THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR IS, I THINK, CRITICAL TO KEEPING THE HOSPITAL SERVICES OPEN.

OBVIOUSLY $50 MILLION YOU MENTIONED IS THE CAPITAL, BUT THAT'S THE FLOOR, NOT THE CEILING.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SECOND HALF OF THIS FIGHT, WHICH IS TWOFOLD.

ONE, WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, AND HAVING THE CONGRESS BE READY IN TERMS OF FINDING FEDERAL FUNDS AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEW YEAR.

AND THE SECOND PIECE IS REALLY MAKING SURE WE COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE COMMISSION SAYS THE HOSPITAL NEEDS.

IF IT'S A WING, IT'S A WING.

IF IT'S A BRAND NEW HOSPITAL, STATE OF THE ART, THAT'S WHAT WE GET.

BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A PROCESS IN WHICH THE COMMUNITY CAN WEIGH IN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A PROCESS IN WHICH WE ACTUALLY LOOK BACK AND MAKING SURE THAT WE LOOK BACK AT HOW MUCH YEAR'S INVESTMENT WE DIDN'T HAVE IN THE HOSPITAL, AND WHAT WE NEED FOR FUTURE HEALTHCARE.

THE LAST PIECE THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT IS THE FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT RATES, MAKING SURE WE WORK WITH FEDERAL PARTNERS TO CLOSE THAT WITH EVERY PROCEDURE DONE ON A MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PATIENT DONE AT DOWNSTATE, WE RECEIVE 30% LESS FOR THOSE FUNDS.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE GET ALL OF THAT RESOURCE AND MAKE SURE WE KEEP THE HOSPITAL SUSTAINABLE FOR THE FUTURE.

WHAT WERE YOUR CONVERSATIONS LIKE WITH ASSEMBLY SPEAKER CARL HEASTIE IN THE EXECUTIVE CHAMBER AS WELL AS SUNY CHANCELLOR JOHN KING ABOUT SAVING THE HOSPITAL THIS YEAR?

ONE, I DID MAKE THE COMMITMENT, BOTH PUBLICLY AND TO THE STAKEHOLDERS, THAT I WOULD VOTE NOW ON ANY BUDGET THAT CLOSED ANY SERVICES TO DOWNSTATE, AND I THINK THEY HEARD THAT VERY LOUD AND CLEAR.

THE SECOND PIECE IS WE HAVE TO INVEST IN DOWNSTATE.

I THINK YOU COVERED IT ABOUT A YEAR AGO I BROUGHT COMMISSIONER HEASTIE TO THE DISTRICT, AND WE WALKED WITH DOWNSTATE HOSPITAL, AND THERE WAS A COMMITMENT THEN TO MAKE SURE THIS WOULD BE A PRIORITY IN THIS BUDGET.

OBVIOUSLY I WAS SHOCKED EARLIER THIS YEAR THERE WAS A BUDGET THAT CAME OUT AND THERE WAS A PLAN THAT DID NOT INCLUDE COMMUNITY VOICES.

I'M HAPPY THE CHANCELLOR AND I HAVE HAD A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP, THE GOVERNOR AND I HAVE A PHENOMENAL WORKING RELATIONSHIP, AND THE SPEAKER AND I HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.

I THINK, BECAUSE OF THOSE THINGS AND BECAUSE OF COMMUNICATION AND BECAUSE OF THE NEEDS AND HOW IMPORTANT DOWNSTATE IS, NOT ONLY TO CENTRAL BROOKLYN BUT TO THE MEDICAL FIELD IN GENERAL, YOU THINK ABOUT IT DOWNSTATE GRADUATES ONE-THIRD DOCTORS OF COLOR NOT ONLY IN THE CITY OR THE STATE, BUT IN THE COUNTRY.

THIS IS A CRITICAL HOSPITAL, IT'S A TEACHING HOSPITAL, AND IT'S ALSO A RESEARCH CENTER WHERE THE MRI WAS CREATED.

I CAN'T IMAGINE ANY CONVERSATION WHERE DOWNSTATE WILL BE CLOSING.

JUST HAPPY THAT WE'RE BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND TRYING TO GET IT TO A PLACE WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS TO 100 YEARS.

AND ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY THAT YOU'VE HAD HAS BEEN FOCUSING ON CRACKING DOWN ON EBT THEFT.

CAN YOU TELL US WHY THIS HAS BEEN IMPORTANT TO YOU AND WHAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS ABOUT HOW EBT THEFT HAS IMPACTED NOT ONLY THEIR LIVES BUT ALSO THEIR POCKETS?

YEAH, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE HEAR IN OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICE TEAM IS THAT HOUSING IS OBVIOUSLY THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE WE FACE, BUT THE SECOND ONE WAS FOOD INSECURITY, AND THE THIRD ONE WAS EBT THEFT, WHICH WAS SURPRISING TO ME WHEN I STARTED LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR DATA.

EBT THEFT IS BECOMING A RAPID CRIME WHERE BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE EBT CARDS DON'T HAVE CHIP TECHNOLOGY AND BECAUSE THERE'S NO NOTIFICATION WHEN SOMEONE'S EBT CARD IS COMPROMISED, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO LITERALLY ARE TRYING TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES WHO ARE ON THE REGISTER LINE AT THE GROCERY STORE, SWIPING THEIR CARDS, AND FIND OUT AT THAT MOMENT THAT THEIR FUNDING HAS BEEN STOLEN.

MYSELF AND SAM BIRD OF QUEENS HAVE TEAMED UP WITH A PACKAGE LEGISLATION REALLY FOCUSED ON CRACKING DOWN ON EBT THEFT.

ONE OF THOSE BILLS HAVE PASSED ALREADY, WHICH IS MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE GET NOTIFICATION.

AND THE SECOND PIECE IS NOW REALLY HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

ANYONE WHO CAN STEAL FOOD FROM A FAMILY IS WORTHY OF POTENTIALLY FACING A COURT AND SEEING A JUDGE.

SO WE'RE WORKING ON THE SECOND PART OF THIS LEGISLATION TO MAKE SURE THAT NO FAMILY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK GOES HUNGRY, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE BEING SUBSIDIZED BY THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH FOOD SUPPORT SERVICES.

AND AS YOU UNDERSCORED, HOUSING CONTINUES TO BE A VERY SERIOUS CRISIS BOTH IN NEW YORK STATE AND NEW YORK CITY, AND IT IS CERTAINLY AN ISSUE THAT TOOK UP A LOT OF THE OXYGEN WHEN I WAS SPEAKING TO LEADERS ABOUT THE BUDGET NEGOTIATION.

SO WHAT IS YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE HOUSING PROPOSAL THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE FINAL ENACTED BUDGET?

AGAIN, I THINK NO BUDGET IS PERFECT, AND I THINK THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS HOUSING PROTECTION IS THE HOUSING PLAN THAT WAS PASSED, IT HAD FOUR PARTS.

IT HAD SOME TENANT PROTECTIONS, WHICH, AGAIN, WE CAN NEVER GO TOO FAR IN TENANT PROTECTION.

I THINK WE AUTOMOBILE NEED TO DO MORE TO PROTECT TENANTS, PARTICULARLY TENANTS WHO ARE PAYING THEIR RENTS AND BEING SOMETIMES ABUSED BY UNSCRUPULOUS LANDLORDS.

WE DID SOMETHING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THERE'S INCENTIVES TO DEVELOP, WITH SOME TAX ABATEMENTS.

WE KNOW THE COST OF DEVELOPMENT IS EXPENSIVE, PARTICULARLY IN NEW YORK STATE AND THE CITY SPECIFICALLY.

SO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ON THE TAX PIECE.

AND THE LAST PIECE, WHERE WE DID SOMETHING WITH LABOR, REALLY WORKING TOWARDS WAGES THAT ALLOW THE PEOPLE WHO BUILD OUR COMMUNITIES TO STAY IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND HAVE THE KIND OF PROTECTION OF THE JOB WHERE THEY WON'T BE HURT.

I THINK BY DOING SOME OF THOSE THINGS, AGAIN, ANY TIME YOU LEAVE A NEGOTIATION TABLE THAT NOBODY IS COMPLETELY HAPPY, I THINK THAT MEANS WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD NEGOTIATION BECAUSE THERE WERE PIECES THAT PEOPLE HAD TO GIVE UP AT THE TABLE AND PIECES THAT GOT INCLUDED.

I THINK, AGAIN, THIS HOUSING PLAN THAT THE SPEAKER, THE GOVERNOR, AND THE LEADER OF THE SENATE PUT TOGETHER ALONG WITH US IS ONE THAT WE CAN BUILD ON.

AGAIN, MOST OF THESE THINGS ARE FIRST STEPS, THEY'RE NOT THE FINAL STEP.

THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE WORK TO DO, PARTICULARLY IN TENANT PROTECTIONS, PARTICULARLY ON MAKING SURE OUR MWBE COMMUNITIES ARE INCLUDED AND LOCAL DEVELOPERS ARE INCLUDED.

BUT I THINK IT'S THE FIRST STEP, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER TWO MONTHS TO WORK ON REALLY THOUGHTFUL POLICY PIECES THAT I THINK ENHANCE WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR.

AS WE HEAD INTO THE LAST TWO MONTHS OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHAT IS YOUR MINDSET TO ENSURE IT IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL, AND ALSO WHAT IS YOUR MINDSET AS YOU GEAR UP FOR RE-ELECTION THIS YEAR?

ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THIS SESSION, THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR IS OBVIOUSLY MAKING SURE WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT'S A WORKING DOCUMENT OF OUR VALUES, OUR COLLECTIVE VALUES, AND NOW WE WORK ON THE POLICY PIECE, SO THE SECOND HALF IS REALLY JUST ZONING IN ON POLICY FOR MY TEAM AND I, WE HAVE ALREADY MET TWICE THIS WEEK ALREADY THINKING ABOUT THE PIECES OF LEGISLATION WE WANT TO PRIORITIZE TOWARDS THE SEND OF THIS SESSION.

FOR ME AND MY STAFF, WHAT WE DO IS REALLY LOOK AT OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICE CASE THAT'S COME IN, AND WE TRY TO PARALLEL OR JUXTAPOSE THAT TO SOME OF THE ISSUES WE'RE SEEING AND SOME OF THE BILLS WE HAVE AND REALLY MAKING SURE WE GET THOSE ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

ALWAYS IN THAT LIST IS EDUCATION.

ALWAYS IN THAT LIST IS HOUSING.

ALWAYS IN THAT LIST IS ACCESS TO FOOD.

AND OBVIOUSLY I THINK THE STATE HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF MATERNAL HEALTH OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AS WELL, FIRST IN THE NATION TO PROVIDE PRENATAL MATERNAL HEALTH.

WITH SO MANY OF THE STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY CHIPPING AWAY WOMEN'S HEALTH AND AUTONOMY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN KEEP THE FIGHT OUT HERE IN NEW YORK.

SO I THINK THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF THINGS WE CAN DO THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT BEING REELECTED AND COMING BACK OVER TWO YEARS AND DOING SOME WORK IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

THERE'S SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE FOR NOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, ASSEMBLY MEMBER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR NEXT CONVERSATION.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER BRIAN CUNNINGHAM.