Credit: Getty Images.

New York is facing a crisis — not one marked by sudden catastrophe, but by the slow unraveling of its social safety net.

The state’s 800,000 human-services workers — day care providers who nurture our children, senior care aides who ensure our elders live with dignity, and mental health counselors who help New Yorkers every day — are being pushed to the breaking point.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

These essential workers and organizations keep our communities running, yet Albany has neglected them for decades, leaving vital services underfunded and workers struggling to stay afloat.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposal includes a mere 2.1% “inflation adjustment.” Given the rapid rise in living costs, that amounts to a pay cut in disguise. For the average human services worker in New York earning $35,000, that 2.1% raise adds just $22 per week before........

© Times Union