Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown) joined by his colleagues in the Minority Conference called for a hearing to seek answers from New York City officials and organizations contracted to provide services related to the migrant crisis about potential misuse and abuse of taxpayer dollars. The calls follow
recent reports highlighting the city’s partnership with the embroiled health care company DocGo.
The demand for a hearing was accompanied by renewed calls for the passage of legislation (A.7508) to require reporting and auditing of how funds for humanitarian aid for migrants are spent. The bill was introduced last year in response to the state’s decision to provide $1 billion, which ballooned to $1.9 billion, to the city of New York in the state budget without the necessary transparency and oversight protections in place.
“For months we have pressed for greater oversight of the $4.3 billion that Governor Hochul is spending on illegal immigrants. Just last month, questions asked during the budget debate went unanswered and now we have another round of serious allegations involving the no bid contractor DocGo. We should
not spend another dime incentivizing illegal immigration until a full audit, investigation and hearing is completed to ensure taxpayer dollars are not being abused,” said Slater.
“This year, the state budget allocated $2.4 billion to address the migrant crisis, a considerable expansion of an expenditure for New York’s taxpayers to shoulder. Without the guardrails needed for fiscal responsibility, these funds are at risk of the fraud and abuse we have become accustomed to with emergency government contracts that lack transparency and oversight guidance. It is critical we pass this legislation to enact the protections necessary to provide the accountability desperately needed. As we move forward, we have a duty as elected officials to seek clarity with how taxpayer funds are being allocated and spent,” said Assemblyman Ed Ra.
“One of the Legislature’s main jobs is to provide oversight on how state funds are used and make sure they are not being abused. As a member of the Assembly Oversight Committee, I have called for an investigation into DocGo’s activities for close to a year. I am again calling on my Majority colleagues to join us and ensure the taxpayers’ money is not being used improperly,” said Assemblyman Joe Angelino.
In August and December of 2023, Slater signed onto two letters calling on the Assembly Committee on Oversight, Analysis and Investigation to launch an investigation into DocGo to make sure it is providing the services required and to make sure it is not wasting taxpayer dollars by breaching its contract.
