I am interested in finding out what individual greens are interested in doing this year in coordinating work on legislative and other issues.
We presently have a legislative committee that grew out of the Assembly that has about 100 people signed up, but no real coordination. We have about 5 people on an issues committee initiated by the State Committee. Both groups this summer approved the creation of a joint issues committee. I hope you will volunteer to help makes these group(s) functional in 2003. We particularly need individuals or groups who are willing ot serve as as the green coordinator / facilitator on particular issues.
There has been significant interest expressed since the election from various greens to work on issues as peace / NO War with Iraq; energy (including the purchase of renewable energy); single payer universal health care; and electoral reform (particularly IRV, initiative and referendum, proportional representation, campaign finance reform).
The Capital District Greens are helping to sponsor a form on electoral forum tommorrow night in Albany (Wed. Dec. 18th at 7 PM); there are also several legislators who have agreed to introduce IRV legislation.
In terms of peace, I think it would be helfpul for the Greens to both target Congressional members to push them to oppose war, and to call for the NYC Council and State Legislature to initiate investigations of who killed 3,000 people in NYC on Sept. 11, 2002, since it is clear that Congress and the Bush administration have no interest in finding out and holding accountable those responsible. At least Kissinger responded to the green call for his resignation.
Golisano recently joined the advisory committee for Mothers of the Disappeared and may put up funding both for Rockefeller Drug laws and Initiative and Referendum.
Tax policy will certainly be a major issue this session as the legislature deals with a $10 billion state budget deficit. Below is the "message" being developed by a coalition of human service, faith and labor groups. (Note: The greens have not signed on to this). Similar work is needed in NYC
Health care will be an issue since the state funding formula for health care it up for renewal; counties are citing rising medicaid costs (i.e., nursing home care) as the major factor behind massive property tax increases; and the Governor wants to "sell" the revenue stream from the tobacco settlement to raise $4 billion for this year's budget deficit even though this money is already committed as the long term funding source for family health policy. SO far no group has step forward to make a major push for single payer health care at the state level.
I would like to find out who is interested in helping to coordinate statewide and local action / initiatives on particular issues, as well as who is willing to provide assistance both as a support person on a particular person and as a legislative / issue coordinator in your local community.
We could also use a new chair of the Legislative Committee. Are people interested in a meeting? Creation of a green legislative list serve?
If you have another issue, please step forward to help coordinate it.
Also, the issues and legislative committees work on the issues and platform adopted by the Green Party. We can not take positions on issues not approved by the state green body.
I look forward to your ideas and interest.
Our legislative web page from last session is at http://nys.greens.org/legislature
Note: contact Mark Dunau (mldunau@ny.tds.net) for information on the SC work on the joint platform committee; you can contact any member of the Coordinating Council for the Assemly work on the platform.
Thanks
Mark Dunlea
Chair, Legislative Committee
Chair, Green Party of NYS
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Revenue message being developed
There is another choice! There is an alternative to massive cuts in education, health care and human services… and it's NOT bigger tax shifts to local property and sales taxes.
A common-sense budget invests in New York families.
To grow New York's economy we need to invest in New Yorkers.
* Good jobs require educated New Yorkers, safe communities, affordable health care and reliable transportation. We can't grow jobs in New York if we abandon New York's families. (can edit to make more relevant to your group) Cuts in education, health care and human services hurt all of us.
* When the State cuts funding for education, health care, for children and seniors and families, real people are hurt. Education, health and human services are essential for our families and communities. (can edit as above) Instead of hiking local property and sales taxes we need a state tax system that's fair to working families.
* When Albany cuts the state budget, local property and sales taxes soar. Cuts in state spending on schools, health care and services are shifted to local taxpayers who can least afford it.
A fair budget invests in New York families. Instead of shifting spending on to local taxpayers, Albany should:
* Capture part of the federal tax windfall by raising taxes on incomes of $100,000. If you earn $300,000 a year, you'll be getting a $4,777 tax break from the federal government this year. A modest, temporary NY state tax increase on upper-income taxpayers would raise from $1.6 - $3.0 billion to help solve the state's budget crisis and avoid damaging reductions in services. Affected taxpayers would be doing their fair share during these tough times and would still keep most of their federal tax cut.
* Close the loopholes that allow big corporations to avoid paying taxes on profits they earn in New York. Corporations pay only 4% of the state budget, down from 10% in 1977. New York law allows companies to use accounting tricks to avoid paying taxes on what they earn in New York. Closing the loopholes would raise $1.5 billion.
* Tell the federal government to help states recover from the recession and September 11th. The Governor and State Legislature should encourage Washington to increase federal payments for Medicaid and economic recovery.
Stop the tax shift to local taxpayers. Stop the cuts that hurt us all. A common-sense budget invests in New York's families. A one paragraph summary of common message
We do have another choice instead of drastic cuts in the services our families need. We should be investing in New York families to build our economy, instead of cutting services that really hurt people and hurt the economy. And which will shift even more taxes to local taxpayers. A common sense budget invests in New York families. Which is why we support temporarily raising taxes on upper income taxpayers who are getting a huge tax cut from the federal government and closing loopholes that allow big companies to avoid paying taxes on profits they earn in New York. Those programs could raise as much as $4.5 billion. Plus, we need to pressure the federal government to increase support for Medicaid and help pay for the recovery from 9/11.
A one sentence summary of our common message
Instead of more tax shifts to local taxpayers and drastic cuts in the services our families and communities need, we support a common sense budget that invests in New York families, closes corporate tax loopholes and temporarily raises taxes for the wealthy
