Community Members Protest Governor Cuomo's Austerity Proposals

ALBANY, NY (01/05/2011)(readMedia)-- Individuals and organizations from around the state gathered in Albany in advance of Governor Cuomo's State of the State speech to offer him "New Year's Resolutions" that would mean reinvestment in communities, the proactive movement to create jobs, and deliberate actions to get the economy back on track.

Donning New Years Eve party attire, they gathered at the Empire State Plaza's Convention Center to push the Governor to raise new and badly needed revenues through mechanisms such as extending the personal income tax surcharge on the richest of the rich in New York State, to help New Yorkers get back to work by creating jobs immediately, and fighting for our communities and small businesses, not just Fortune 500 companies.

"We can't afford to pay for tax cuts for the rich by shutting down hospitals and eliminating social services, but that's what letting the fair share tax expire would do," said Robert Tolbert, a leader in VOCAL New York, formerly known as the NYC AIDS Housing Network (NYCAHN), a statewide organization. "Wall Street caused the financial crisis and needs to help fix it. Balancing the budget on the backs of working and disabled New Yorkers while giving a free pass to Wall Street Banks will just make our state's economy worse. We can't cut our way out of this crisis - Albany should be asking everyone pay their fair share."

"We're building a green economy in Buffalo that creates employment opportunities for real people through neighborhood investment and green jobs pathways," Rodney Rainey, a leader at People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH). "Over the past year, I've been trained and employed by PUSH in green construction along with other youth. Now we're asking the incoming Governor to multiply these efforts to create quality jobs that can be filled by another million New Yorkers in need of employment." PUSH mobilizes residents to create strong neighborhoods with quality affordable housing, to expand local hiring opportunities and advance economic justice in Buffalo.

The complete list of Resolutions offered by the groups and individuals for Governor Cuomo to adopt included:

1. Halve the Unemployment Rate by 2012.
2. Exercise More Often.
3. Reinvest in Communities & Improve Quality of Life.
4. Provide Job Training for Out of Work New Yorkers.
5. Eat Healthier.
6. Strengthen the Safety Net for the Vulnerable.
7. Provide Support for Public Goods We All Rely On.

##

Each of the participating organizations is also a member of the New York Stimulus Alliance (NYSA), a coalition of community organizing groups and researchers who have teamed up to fight for an economic recovery that lifts up all New Yorkers, especially in communities of color and distressed areas. NYSA promote and call for fairness, community participation and transparency under the Recovery Act stimulus package and beyond. For more info on NYSA, visit www.NYStimulusAlliance.com.