Local 983 Fights to Save Parks Funding

May 20, 2024 — Local 983 has rallied on the steps of City Hall and testified at a City Council hearing to reinstate $55 million in funding for parks to save more than 600 jobs. President Joe Puleo and Vice President Ralph Baselice both testified at the City Council's Executive Budget hearing held by the Committee on Parks and Recreation and the Committee on Finance. The Council called for baselined restoration of funding for critical staff and programs for the Department of Parks and Recreation. Specifically, the Council urged baselined funding restorations to support the city parks workforce that has been reduced by the mayor’s budget cuts, threatening the maintenance of parks in neighborhoods across the city. The Council also called for investment into a new employment initiative that could fund seasonal Parks Department positions that help underemployed communities enter the workforce and strengthen the quality of city parks.