Massive Protests Targeting Upper East Side Billionaires Planned by Community Orgs and Allies

NEW YORK, NY (10/11/2011)(readMedia)-- Beginning today, VOCAL-NY and Community Voices Heard are helping spearhead a week of actions targeting New York's billionaires and the Wall Street banks that caused the financial crisis to demand they pay their fair share in taxes, create jobs and end home foreclosures. The protests are being planned jointly with Strong Economy for All, United NY, New York Communities for Change and allies from #OccupyWallStreet. On Tuesday, they will be joined by New Deal for NY allies from Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope, PUSH Buffalo and VOICE-Buffalo.

Today's protests will target a rogue's gallery of the richest individuals and biggest banks that refuse to support a people's agenda for rebuilding New York. Targets for protests will include the homes of a few of the sixty-six billionaires that live in New York but refuse to pay their fair share in taxes; the midtown headquarters of some of the biggest Wall Street banks that caused the financial crisis, destroyed jobs and stole homes; and, political donors in New York City, Yonkers, Newburgh and Poughkeepsie who are pressuring state legislators to advance a tax cut for New York's millionaires and billionaires (i.e. the "millionaires tax").

"Thousands of New York families receive public assistance that they rely on through Chase-issued electronic benefits cards," said Keith Gamble, board member of Community Voices Heard and a Brooklyn native. "JP Morgan Chase is making billions by nickel and diming women and children struggling to feed themselves. That's criminal. Jamie Dimon and JP Morgan Chase should not have special access to our government and right now they do. Our voices are being shut out by Wall Street's money. Jamie Dimon and other bankers have occupied our federal government for far too long."

"Money shouldn't speak louder than the voices of everyday New Yorkers, but that's why Albany and Washington are working for those at the very top and failing everyone else" said Bobby Tolbert, a VOCAL-NY leader and Board member. "It feels like the rules that the 99% have to follow don't apply to the top 1%. There's no better example than Governor Cuomo's decision to give billions in tax cuts to the top 1% instead of asking them to help create jobs and protect public services."

"Howard Milstein, one of the wealthiest New Yorkers, needs to be held accountable for his continued disinvestment in our communities. Since 1998, Mr Milstein has promised millions in development on the 85 acres he owns in the center of Niagara Falls and has yet to develop a single acre. Now he is being celebrated by Gov. Cuomo yet again with tax breaks. It's time for Howard Milstein to pay his fair share and reinvest in our community," said Reverend Rex Stewart of First Presbyterian Church in Youngstown, Niagara County, on behalf of Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope.

Community Voices Heard, Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope, PUSH Buffalo, VOCAL-NY and VOICE-Buffalo are participating in these actions part of a statewide campaign called New Deal for New York and some are also participating as affiliates of National People's Action, which has teamed up with SEIU and the PICO Network, under the banner of New Bottom Line. On Friday, the final day of protests planned for this week, there will be several surprise actions as part of a nationally coordinated day of protest against Wall Street Banks.

Starting on September 20th in Washington State, everyday people fighting to create good jobs, reverse the foreclosure crisis, and build an economy that works for everyone have been engaging in a series of direct actions in 10 cities targeting big banks that bankrupted the country and drained wealth from American families. The direct actions have primarily targeted JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo and have included prayer vigils, lobby takeovers of banks, sit-in's and other civil disobedience, mass mobilizations, and more.