MV Meeting Sunday, 3/20 on Zoom

IMV's March 2022 monthly meeting is on Zoom this Sunday (3-5 pm), so please take two hours out of your afternoon (but then keep carrying petitions if you can!) to join us for a very full agenda.  Here's just some of what we're covering:

1. Updates from our two congressional campaigns from their staff.  Katy will talk about the Antonio Delgado (NY19) campaign, and Hannah will update us on the Matt Castelli (NY21) campaign. 
2. Dana Balter, Director of Strategic Communications, Citizen Action of NY, will present on the actual data following bail reform in New York and how we can message the positive impacts on communities and justice effectively (and counteract the Republican disinformation campaign).
3.  Update on the state budget via our IONY (Invest in Our New York) coalition.  We have less than two weeks left to fight for climate, health care, education, housing, workers, and #allthethings. 
4. The Truth Brigade: What is it and how to get involved in counteracting social media disinformation in our own communities and networks. 
5. Climate Crisis Working Group Update
6. Healthcare Workgroup Update

Note on bail reform:  We've all seen our local media spreading the Republican lie that bail reform in New York has raised crime.  It's not true, but what are the best ways that we can respond when we hear that message at doors or even from friends and family?  Unless we can effectively respond in our communities we will not be able to win locally in 2022...or in the 2023 local elections.  It's critical that we build our knowledge and our messaging skills. 

And that's just part of the ground we're covering Sunday, March 20th. Be sure to join us.  The direct Zoom link is here:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81144074123.

Climate Calls Matter

The one-house budget proposals recently released by the New York State Senate and Assembly do not go far enough—or move fast enough—to protect our communities from the worst effects of climate change and environmental pollution.

The budget will be finalized in just two weeks. Will you help put public pressure on our leaders to let them know that we need more funding, now and in the future, for climate justice?

This one-click tool will allow you to make a 5-minute call to three key New York State leaders: the Governor, Speaker, and Majority Leader. It includes instructions on how to leave a message with these leaders quickly and effectively. And do be sure to leave a message with all three —we need each one of them to hear our demands.

It only takes 5 minutes to make a call. Make your voice heard today.

IMV"s script: "Hi, my name is ____ and I live in ____, zip code ____. I’m calling to urge you to pass all 12 bills in the Climate Can’t Wait policy package AND dedicate $15 Billion in funding in the budget to implement the CLCPA. Please, be the climate champion that history needs and urge NYSDEC to uphold the air permit denial of Danskammer and Greenidge."

Critical Climate Webinar: March 23rd, 7- 8:30pm

The People’s Climate Action Council Guide to Shaping NY’s Climate Future will be a substitute for the CCWG March monthly meeting. PLEASE REGISTER TO ATTEND. The Climate Crisis Working Group (CCWG) is making a plea to the entire IMV membership to join the CCWG in learning how to comment on the CLCPA Draft Scoping Plan. Thousands of comments will be needed advocating for the CLCPA implementation and against false solutions. The meeting on March 23rd will explain the process, show us how to submit comments with a simple, one-step toolkit. Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYlduyrpjopGdD1L3dL-nwBdBSuCnOl69lk

Save the Date: April 26th 4pm:
Public Hearing: Comment on Draft Scoping Plan in Syracuse, NY. SUNY ESF
WE NEED EVERYONE TO JOIN OUTSIDE TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD and then if you want to speak please register: https://climate.ny.gov/CAC-Meetings-and-Materials

Fair Pay for Home Care: Take Action Right Now!

Every day for the next couple of weeks, our Invest in Our New York (IONY) Coalition has a key action, and the focus for today is Fair Pay for Home Care. Including it in this year’s budget would raise wages for home care workers to 150% of minimum wage across the state, helping to end a critical home care shortage and create an estimated 250K jobs. The ask is for $630 million in this year’s budget, $2.5B next year. It was included in both one-house budgets but not in the Governor’s. Here’s a one-pager with more information on the issue and you can also go to www.nycaringmajority.org.
 
ACTIONS:

• Use the campaign’s easy click-to-call tool to get patched through to call the Governor and your Senator and Assemblymember. Script is provided.

• Tweet and post to FB about it:

  • Sample tweet: #FairPay4HomeCare will be life-changing for millions of NYers who need & provide home care. Call @GovKathyHochul at 518-474-8390, press 3, then 2. Tell her: Join the Senate & Assembly & back #FairPay4HomeCare in this year's budget! https://www.nycaringmajority.org/

  • Or retweet or repost New York Caring Majority’s tweets or FB posts, adding your own commentary – This is an issue that touches many of us personally. Be sure to tag @CaringMajority and use the hashtag #FairPay4HomeCare

James Paul: A Candidate IMV Supports

IMV activists have strongly supported James Paul in the past when he has run for Utica City School District Board of Education, and he's running once again.  He is a longtime participant at IMV meetings and activities who will stand up to the corrupt forces in Utica that oppose transparency and equity, especially for the majority non white and largely lower income student population in the district.  

Many of us have pledged to help James in any way we can, whether we live in Utica or not.  The election is May 17th, and time is short.  In the next few weeks the top priority for the campaign (Sarah Reeske is James's campaign manager), is Fundraising.  Many of James's opponents are self funded or well funded by entrenched interests, and frankly, an "old boys' network" who care nothing about children in the schools and their parents, are not involved in the community with school aged children and their families, and have their own agendas.  That's why we need to give what we can to support James Paul at this point in his campaign.  You know Sarah will use that money to reach voters in vibrant and creative ways.  

Please make out your checks to: "Friends of James Paul" and send to Dawn Laguerre, 105 Barton  Avenue, Utica  NY 13502.  She will deliver them together to his campaign treasurer, Dave Mathis.  Thank you for contributing whatever you can.  
 

Keep Carrying Petitions & Join the NYS Budget Fight

Hopefully with some better weather the past few days, you've been able to collect signatures on candidate petitions without having to slip on ice or fall in snowbanks. Yay! Please keep up that critical work; petitions are due to town or city chairs by the end of March. Candidates need these signatures. If you are not carrying petitions and want to help, or you haven't signed and want to do so, please email IndivisibleMV@gmail.com and we will assist you.

Please also note that we have just two weeks now to win on our priorities for the NYS budget. We will update you on what you need to know Sunday, but if you want some additional information and context, please check out this overview of the fight for the Excluded Workers Fund. We successfully lobbied for it last year as part of the IONY coalition, but more is needed.

Please call on a daily basis and demand that the "three leaders in the room" prioritize housing, education, healthcare, climate, and child care, not big land development boondoggles in which the funds wind up in the pockets of billionaires. We will win this fight on the strength of our calls and emails, but also by taking our "people pressure" to social media. Use this tool that has both call scripts and posts and tweets for social media.

Citizen Action is specifically requesting that all of us who are represented in the Assembly by Marianne Buttenschon call her asap and urge her to support $3B and not a penny less for childcare. We all know working parents who are struggling to find adequate, affordable childcare, or any childcare at all. It must be better funded through state dollars so families can afford it, and workers who care for children can make a decent living. Call Assemblywoman Buttenschon today.

See you on Sunday at our Zoom meeting, 3-5 pm!
Democracy is not a spectator sport.

Follow us on Twitter using @indivisiblemv and of course our Facebook page and IMV Activism Group.