[COMM-ORG] Budget organizing in New York

Wed Mar 30 20:16:35 CDT 2011

 From:     Taja Lindley <taja at cvhaction.org>

News from Community Voices Heard

For more information contact: Jenny Loeb: 845-857-8415, Sondra
Youdelman: 718-839-4474

Low-Income NYers Storm State Capitol

Community Members Protest Deep Cuts to Social Services and Elimination
of Millionaires Tax

ALBANY, NY (03/30/2011)(readMedia)-- Members of Community Voices Heard,
a membership organization of low-income residents representing New York
City, Yonkers, Newburgh, and Poughkeepsie, will join a broad coalition
of New Yorkers today to protest the budget agreement presented to the
Legislature by Governor Cuomo. The Senate and Assembly were in session
until late last night, and will begin early this morning in what some
think is an attempt to finish debate on the budget before protestors
arrive. Demonstrators plan to crowd around the Senate and Assembly
Chambers as the Legislature continues their debate, holding signs that
highlight the inequities in a budget that cuts essential services to
poor and vulnerable New Yorkers while giving a $4.6 billion tax cut for
the wealthiest three percent of New Yorkers. In what may prove to be a
historic moment, over 500 demonstrators plan to refuse to leave the
Capitol and camp out overnight.

[The actions at the capitol can be followed live on our website:
www.CVHaction.org/statewide and you can follow us on twitter at CVHAction.]

"We elected this Governor, but he's acting like he's been selected only
by his millionaire buddies," said Community Voices Heard Board Member
Agnes Rivera. "They've gotten together and balanced the budget on our
backs, low-income folks. If the Governor wants to help the state, he
should be cutting a deal to create jobs and get better education for
youth. We're here to let them know this budget cannot stand."

Community Voices Heard has been working over the past few months along
with partner group VOCAL-NY to highlight the special interests, in the
form of the Committee to Save New York, that have truly hijacked this
year's budget. These real estate and business interests spent over $2.5
million arguing against tax breaks and for budget cuts. Meanwhile, New
York State remains the most unequal state in the country with 1% of the
population receiving 35% of the income. Earlier actions included
crashing the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) Ball, visiting the
home of Committee to Save New York Board Member Kathryn Wylde, and most
recently a takeover of the capitol on March 2nd during which 17 people
were arrested in an act of civil disobedience, inspiring the increase in
aggressive action against the budget by other groups.

Community Voices Heard members will attend the demonstration today to
highlight the devastating cuts to social service programs that help keep
the poorest New York families afloat. State lawmakers have agreed to
Governor Cuomo's proposal to delay a scheduled 10% increase in the basic
welfare grant, an equivalent of only $1 a day for a family of 3. The
budget also zeroes out funding for Transitional Jobs and Career Pathways
programs, critical programs for moving people from welfare to the
workforce by providing job training and paid work.

"This budget hurts poor people the most. It cuts out the few programs
that might have helped people who have had to rely on public assistance,
like me. The only way we're going to get decent jobs is with training
and jobs programs. This is not the time to be cutting jobs and benefits,
and poor people should not be the ones to pay...especially while
millionaires are getting a tax break!" said Tiara Velez, Community
Voices Heard leader.

As the business day comes to a close, demonstrators plan to order pizza
in and begin camping out in the Capitol, evoking images of the Wisconsin
protests. Groups plan to hold speak-outs, teach-ins, and even a dance
party throughout the night to keep their spirits up. The mood will be
somber, however, as people talk about how the budget is going to affect
the lives of their families and their communities.

"My city suffers from high unemployment, poverty, and the highest crime
rate in the state," said Brenda McPhail, Community Voices Heard member
from Newburgh, NY. " Losing these critical programs will make the
situation worse, and make more people resort to crime because they can't
get a job. Even though Cuomo is pushing his property tax cap idea, the
state allowed Newburgh to balance our budget by passing a 71% property
tax increase, while cutting essential services. The City is going
bankrupt, and this is going to drive more people out and make our
problems worse. The state should be helping Newburgh stay afloat rather
than giving tax breaks to millionaires."

With over 1,000 people planning to descend on Albany from around the
state joining together with allies from different backgrounds, different
experiences, and from different hometowns, the capitol takeover will
prove to be one of the most powerful non-violent demonstrations in
Albany history.

"It's not fair to always have the budgets balanced on our backs while
the millionaires get away with tax breaks," said CVH member Diane
Blanford of Staten Island. "The Governor thinks the fight is over, but
for low-income folks, the fight has only just begun!"

Community Voices Heard is a membership-led and directed organization
with a statewide network of over 35,000 low-income individuals in New
York City, Yonkers, Newburgh and Poughkeepsie. They attended today's
demonstration with partner groups from the New Deal for New York
Campaign, a statewide coalition of community organizations.

###

Permalink:
http://readme.readmedia.com/Low-Income-NYers-Take-Over-Capitol-Overnight-Showing-Anger-Over-Proposed-Budget-as-Legislature-Debates/2243202