Late NYS Budget = More Time for People Power
Keep the Pressure On!
So....the NYS budget will not be done by the April 1 deadline, and it's not an April Fool's Day Joke. If you'd like more information on what this means, what's happening with the budget, and how our IMV and #InvestInOurNY (IONY) priorities stand, you can tune in to hear our IONY organizing partners, Ron Deutsch from New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness and Peter Cook from New York State Council of Churches speak about the Governor's budget priorities on Capital Tonight on Friday, April 1 at 7:00 with Susan Arbetter as the host.
In the meantime, our job is to KEEP CALLING the three NYS leaders and reinforcing our message about the economic and climate justice priorities that must be funded in the budget.
Phone Numbers & Scripts
Governor Hochul: (518) 474-8390 (press 3, then 2)
Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins: (518) 455-2585
Assembly Speaker Heastie: (518) 455-3791 (ask to be transferred to the person who takes messages about positions on issues)
Basic script for Gov. Hochul: Hi, my name is ________ and I am urging the Governor to follow the lead of the Senate and Assembly in these final negotiations on the budget. New Yorkers like me worked hard to pass the measures that raised the extra revenue now available to invest in our communities. We don’t want to see it squandered on corporate giveaways like the Buffalo stadium or subsidies to luxury real estate developers that produce almost no affordable housing. For New Yorkers suffering from two years of pandemic on top of decades of disinvestment, the “rainy day” is now. In particular I want to highlight [pick 2-3 areas from the areas below. Add personal reasons or stories if you have them]. I also want to insist that the Governor act on facts, not fear-mongering, and uphold the important criminal justice reforms the legislature has enacted.
Basic script for ASC/Heastie: Hi, my name is ________. I am urging the Majority Leader/Speaker to hold the line with the Governor at the strongest of the one-house proposals in the final negotiations on the budget. New Yorkers like me worked hard to pass the measures that raised the extra revenue now available to invest in our communities. We don’t want to see it squandered on corporate giveaways like the Buffalo stadium or subsidies to luxury real estate developers that produce almost no affordable housing. In particular I want to highlight [pick 2-3 areas from the areas below. Add personal reasons or stories if you have them]. I also want to thank him/her for honoring the facts, not caving in to fear-mongering, and urge him/her to insist on upholding the important criminal justice reforms the legislature has enacted.
Pick 2-3 of These to Highlight in Your Calls
CHILD CARE
Ask was for $5B for expansion of childcare subsidies. (Both one-houses have at least $3B, Gov has $1.1B) Push for not a penny less than $3B in the final budget!
It will increase access to childcare by subsidizing costs that can approach $21K/year in a state where median household income is $68K/year. Subsidies are currently available only to households making less than $43K/year (up to 2x federal poverty level). $3B would be an important down payment on reaching universal childcare over the next few years.
It will give kids the head start they need in their crucial first few years.
It will alleviate the child care “deserts” that affect 64% of the state.
It will help child care workers, 65% of whom are living in or near poverty, not only to survive but to thrive, decreasing staffing shortages and closures.
When parents have access to quality childcare, they can work. Our entire economy rests on access to quality child care.
It’s the right thing to do.
FAIR PAY FOR HOME CARE
Ask is $630M this year, $2.5B next year
Would raise home care wages to 150% of minimum wage, end home care shortage, create 250K jobs
In both one-houses, not in Governor’s budget at all
HOUSING
$250M for the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) - would provide housing vouchers for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of imminent homelessness, allowing them to pay 30% of their income toward rent, with the rest covered by the voucher. (In both one-houses, up to $1B over five years)
$150M more for Housing Our Neighbors With Dignity Act (HONDA) that passed in August to fund the state purchase of financially-distressed hotels and commercial properties to create permanent affordable housing for homeless and housing-vulnerable New Yorkers - the additional funds would expand it to Upstate (In both one-houses)
$1.5B for COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Program (in both one-houses)
End luxury developer boondoggle “affordable housing” subsidy 421-a and keep it ended (as both one-houses propose, don’t replace it with the Gov’s proposed almost-the-same 485-W)
COVERAGE FOR ALL
$345M for health insurance for otherwise ineligible (undocumented, etc) folks (in both one-houses, not in Gov’s)
EXCLUDED WORKERS
Ask was $3.2B for new funding for the Excluded Workers fund that provided aid for COVID-related losses to 130K excluded workers (because undocumented, paid in cash as day laborers and domestic workers, etc) until the funds ran out. The additional $$ would aid the 75K who qualified but were turned away and the estimated 100K who did not get a chance to apply at all. (Not in Gov’s budget or either one-house - need at least $1.2B)
CLIMATE
Ask was $15B as a “down payment” to finally start funding the “dry” CLCPA; neither one-house nor Gov came close; push for Senate’s $6B bond proposal.
Governor claims “billions” but the bulk of it is a $4B bond proposal that would have to be voted on in Nov, and normal agency funding. THIS IS NOT ACTUAL BUDGET ALLOCATION
Actual new funding in Gov’s proposal adds up to only $1.8B ($750mm for electrification, $500mm for wind, $500mm for clean water, $44.5M for Environmental Protection Fund)
Senate’s only improvement was raising the bond proposal to $6B; Assembly raised to $5B
HIGHER EDUCATION
Gov’s budget has $619M total; one-houses bump it up to $500M for New Deal for CUNY, $600M for SUNY
Ask is also to hire fulltime professors, eliminate TAP gap that places more and more burden for financial aid on public colleges themselves, raise TAP threshold
ENDING/TIGHTENING CORPORATE SUBSIDIES
American Economic Liberties Project’s report on “The Dirtiest Dozen,” NY's worst "economic development" projects of the past decade, representative of the $10B or so NY gives away each year in wasteful corporate subsidies. (NB: Governor Hochul served as Chair of Regional Economic Development when she was Lt. Governor, and Brian Benjamin chairs it now.)
As Charles Khan of Strong Economy for All says, “The report serves as a cautionary tale as the legislature considers more bad deals (like 485-w) this year and as a contrast point to the spending priorities of IONY that we know would be dollars well spent. IMV signed on just yesterday to a letter against the Buffalo Bills Stadium corporate giveaway.
Budget asks:
No reprogramming —following reforms in Senate one-house
New Part GG: Decouple from Opportunity Zone S6800
Restore Comptroller Authority to audit corporate subsidies S6809
State Database of Economic Incentives S5711-A
Independent analysis of tax incentive
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
$1 billion in this year’s budget for violence interrupter groups and services for survivors of gun violence.
Instead of caving in to Republican fear-mongering, honor the facts and invest in community-based resources that will truly increase public safety. This will allow immediate responses to specific incidents of gun violence while we ameliorate the root causes of violence (poverty, inadequate housing, etc) instead of investing in more prisons, jails, policing or rollbacks to bail reforms.
FAQ on bail reform: https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/brad-hoylman/bail-reform-faqs
More You Can Do to #ProtectBailReform
A couple weeks ago we heard a powerful presentation from Citizen Action's Dana Balter about bail reform. If you missed the slides, please view them here. Here is what Citizen Action says:
"We know the safest communities have the most resources, not the highest jail populations. That’s why we are asking Governor Hochul and our legislators to protect bail reform and invest $1 billion in immediate resources to communities most affected by gun violence.
Bail reform has enabled families to stay together, making a huge difference in people’s lives. Right-wing propaganda means there’s a possibility of a bail reform rollback, keeping people in jail before their day in court and separating them from their families.
We must protect bail reform now! If you agree that we need to funnel more resources into communities, rather than pulling our neighbors out of them, write a letter to the editor in your local newspaper to tell Governor Kathy Hochul to #ProtectBailReform.
You can make a difference by spending 5 minutes to submit a letter to the editor using this quick and easy online tool. It really does take 5 minutes - just fill out your name, location, zip code, and email address. Thank you for fighting to #ProtectBailReform!
Climate Crisis: Take Three Actions Now
1. Submit Comments on the Draft Scoping Plan
The Climate Crisis Working Group (CCWG) is making a plea to the entire IMV membership to comment on the CLCPA Draft Scoping Plan. Thousands of comments will be needed advocating for the CLCPA implementation and against false solutions. This week, take one minute to submit a public comment on the Waste Sector of New York’s draft scoping plan!
2. Sign up for a Public Hearing on the Draft Scoping Plan &
Save the Date: April 26th 4pm: 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
3. Make NYS Budget Calls for Climate
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 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 dedicate $15 Billion in funding in the budget to implement the CLCPA. In addition, please ask that Governor Hochul's EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) proposals are NOT included in the budget, and, instead, to support Assemblymember Engelbright's forthcoming EPR bill and Bigger, Better Bottle bill in the regular legislative session." (This will ensure that New York enacts effective EPR that actually reduces packaging waste and plastic pollution and shifts the burden to the polluters rather than us taxpayers. We hope this short Q&A will clear up any confusion.)
Citizen Action April 5th Chapter Meeting
Citizen Action is having an April Chapter Meeting next week, and it is critical for building power to engage and support these efforts to make local voices of directly impacted people and neighborhoods heard. Join CA at its April chapter meeting next week Tuesday at 5:30, on Zoom and in-person at 500 Plant St. Remember to contribute as a sustaining member to join the fight for racial, economic, social, and climate justice, make a one-time donation, and if you can, attend in person or by Zoom to discuss legislative updates and next steps around Citizen Action's core issues.
Meet NY19's Antonio Delgado in Utica
You are invited to a Meet and Greet with Rep Antonio Delgado (NY19) on Saturday, April 2nd, 2-3 pm, at Cafe Domenico, 2011 Genesee Street, Utica. The event is co-sponsored by the Utica and Oneida County Democratic Committees. Congressman Delgado will be running for re-election in November in a new NY19 that includes much of Oneida County. He has been in the news week regarding a controversial issue where Gov. Hochul has staked out improved wage conditions for farm laborers, but Rep. Delgado has concerns for the upstate farmers who pay the wages. Might make a good conversation topic.
Get Your Tickets for James Paul Fundraiser
It’s official–-James Paul is running to be elected to the Utica school board on Tuesday, May 17th. Thanks to friends like you, his family, a great team, and supportive community, he’s confident we will win!
James is a parent, veteran, and youth advocate and will bring his leadership and commitment to the board to support student success in every school in Utica.
James Paul is the candidate that every family can trust to support their student’s success. It starts with transportation and making sure students get to school on time. The school board needs transparency to restore faith in decision making and budget priorities. More talking and communication between the school board and community will improve relationships. James thinks outside the box and is eager to find ways for the board and community to collaborate more to benefit students and staff. James Paul will be a new voice and listen to new ideas on how the Utica school board can better support student success.
All good campaigns require people power, resources, and excellent time management. We’re adding in lots of great conversations and fun along the way. We’d love for you to support this campaign by attending our upcoming fundraiser on Friday, April 8th at 5:30pm at 171 Events in downtown Utica. It feels great to be in the company of friends, which is why we’re looking forward to seeing you there.
If you already have plans and can’t come to the fundraiser, please visit the website to donate at https://www.jamespaulforutica.com/donate. Be sure to click on the Home Page when you visit the site. We’re asking everyone we know to roll up their sleeves with us and help propel us forward to serve the school district. We have lots of ways to support the campaign; check out the Get Involved Page.
Website: jamespaulforutica.com
Email: jamespaulforutica@gmail.com
Campaign manager: Sarah Reeske, 512-799-6535
Stand for Peace and Freedom in Ukraine
It's been a while since we've seen each other on the Clinton Village Green for #BlackLivesMatter or #ClimateCrisis on a Friday. The Kirkland Town Democratic Committee invites everyone to join in a rally for Ukraine on Friday, April 8th, 4:00 pm. Bring your signs, and flags (there will be some small Ukrainian flags available) and stand for peace and freedom for the people of Ukraine.
Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport...It's a Workout.
We know it has Been.A.Month. While we've been anxious and worried about WWIII breaking out in Eastern Europe, we've had to collect petition signatures and make daily calls about the state budget. Plus, we're starting to get involved in the 2022 electoral campaigns: James Paul, Antonio Delgado, Matt Castelli, and several others.
Take a deep breath. Plan to join Kirkland Democrats in astand for peace and freedom in Ukraine on April 8th, and then head straight to James Paul's fundraiser in Utica. Enjoy the chance to get together, not just on Zoom but in person. And mark your calendars for our next IMV meeting. Due to conflicts,we are pushing the April meeting to Sunday, May 1and we'll be connecting in person and then heading out to knock doors together for the James Paul for Utica campaign. we can't wait to see everyone there.
Thank you for all you to do to make political change. If you need to take a break, then we'll hold your note for you. Breathe.
Then.
Push.
Follow us on Twitter using @indivisiblemv and of course our Facebook page and IMV Activism Group.