Green Party Gubernatorial Candidate Proposes Green New Deal

ALBANY, NY (08/30/2010)(readMedia)-- Howie Hawkins, Green Party candidate for governor of New York, outlined the particulars of his Green New Deal in an exclusive interview published today on the Empire Page website.

Hawkins would "enact progressive tax reforms that make the rich pay their fair and proper share again" to meet future budget deficits. "The concentration of income and wealth in the top 5% and especially the top 1% is higher than it's ever been since 1928 and a big part of why we have depressed consumer demand, a stagnant economy, and persistent high unemployment," Hawkins stated.

Hawkins criticized the solutions offered by the Republicans and Democrats: "The austerity plans of Cuomo (spending freeze) and the Republicans (spending cuts) are recipes for a vicious circle of debt and depression. Without increased public spending, the economy will decline, tax revenues will shrink, and public spending will be cut again to balance the budget, sending the economy down further," he stated.

Despite the fact that the Green Party has not gained the threshold 50,000 votes needed for an automatic spot on the ballot the past two gubernatorial elections, Hawkins sees the party making headway. "We've elected six village, town, and city councilors, three school board members, and four village mayors in New York State," he stated.

The entire interview with Howie Hawkins as well as interviews with other candidates for statewide office in 2010 can be found in the Improving New York section of the Empire Page website.

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