New York City’s social services budget has surged by over 50% since the pandemic, a stark contrast to the rest of the state, which has faced repeated cuts, according to the state’s budget chief on Wednesday.

During a breakfast hosted by the Citizen’s Budget Commission, Blake Washington, the state’s budget director, emphasized the need for the city to “refine” its spending. This comes as the Mamdani administration seeks $5.4 billion from the state to balance its budget.

“We all have big hearts and want to provide the biggest public safety net,” Washington remarked, acknowledging the desire to support those in need.

However, he noted that while NYC’s social services spending has increased by 50% since the pandemic, the rest of the state has seen a decrease of approximately 25%.

“Your ability to help needs to have some guardrails,” Washington advised, highlighting the importance of fiscal responsibility.

Budget documents reveal that the cost of housing vouchers has dramatically risen, expanding from a few hundred million dollars to more than $1.8 billion due to the City Council’s recent initiatives.

The CBC has said that the cityFHEPs program could come in even higher at $3.2 billion annually.