Poughkeepsie Residents Call on Albany to be Accountable to Community's Priorities

New Research Shows Contributions to State Senator Overwhelmingly from Corporations, Out-of-District, Big Money Donors

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (04/04/2012)(readMedia)-- On Wednesday, residents and community leaders from Community Voices Heard (CVH) in Poughkeepsie will demand that their elected officials that represent them in Albany pass a Fair Elections system during this year's legislative session. A publicly-financed Fair Elections system would reduce the impact of large campaign contributions in our political system and boost voters' voices in elections by allowing candidates to run for office with small, in-district donations. The current election rules push New Yorkers that are not wealthy or those that are less connected even further to the margins, leaving them virtually no path to meaningful participation in the electoral system. To illustrate this point, CVH leaders will release new findings regarding the campaign finances of New York State Senator Stephen Saland. The senator's contribution history reflects the larger challenges that could be addressed through a Fair Elections system.

WHO:

Low-income leaders of Community Voices Heard along with allies.
WHAT:

New research provided by Common Cause/NY will detail the source of donations to Senator Saland, who represents Dutchess and Columbia Counties in the State Senate, including comparisons of small and large donations, as well as in-district and out-of-district donations. In the wake of years of inaction by the elected officials in the region and continuing unemployment and disinvestment in Poughkeepsie, a growing movement has been building in the Hudson Valley and across the state in support of Fair Elections so that New Yorkers can have a democractic system that elects officials that will be responsive to the needs of all communities. This movement includes dozens of community, faith, labor, and small business organizations.
WHEN: Wednesday April 04, 2012 at 12:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
WHERE: Dutchess County Office Building
22 Market St.
Poughkeepsie, New York 12601
NOTES:

Visuals: Large, color charts detailing source of contributions to State Senator Stephen Saland