STATEMENT: “PUT THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY 1ST:” INVEST IN OUR NEW YORK (IONY) COALITION RESPONDS...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: Tuesday, January 10, 2023 Contact: david@newdealstrategies.com

“PUT THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY FIRST:” INVEST IN OUR NEW YORK (IONY) COALITION RESPONDS TO GOVERNOR HOCHUL’S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS

ALBANY, NY – Following Governor Hochul’s State of the State speech, the Invest in Our New York campaign released the following statement:

“Governor Kathy Hochul’s plan to tackle the affordability crisis fails to deliver for New York’s working class and is largely silent on meeting the unequivocal needs of New Yorkers.

“The Governor should create a high-quality, equitable, universal childcare system; ban unjust evictions and create a statewide rental subsidy program, so every New Yorker has access to safe, permanent homes; ensure that unemployment and health insurance are available to all New Yorkers; and lower the costs of energy bills while transitioning to safer renewable resources, to name a few. The Governor should also enact popular policies that ensure millionaires, billionaires, and wealthy corporations pay what they owe will generate billions of dollars in public funds for our communities.

“More millionaires and billionaires call New York home than any other state. New York’s ultra-rich profit from our work, our communities, and our public infrastructure - as a result of our backward tax system, they can avoid paying what they owe. Lawmakers must prioritize passing policies that guarantee extreme wealth is taxed and those dollars are reinvested in our neighborhoods, instead of protecting millionaires and billionaires benefiting from a rigged system.

“The Invest in Our New York Campaign’s people-centered platform builds on our previous success of bringing in billions of dollars of additional resources to our communities and prioritizes the real, everyday needs of New Yorkers by continuing to leverage public funds. Everyone benefits when policymakers invest resources into public programs –– we are happier, healthier, and safer when our government is willing to support our communities. In the state with the most concentrated wealth in the country, we call on Governor Hochul to put the needs of our communities first.”

Theo Oshiro, Co-Executive Director, Make the Road New York: “Our communities have been on the front lines of the pandemic for the past three years, and bear the brunt of the affordability crisis that the Hochul administration claims to want to tackle. The Governor should support raising taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers to fund vital housing, health care, workers, education – including adult education – and legal services needs.” Jaslin Kaur, Co-Chair, New York City Democratic Socialists of America: “The opportunity to invest in working families has never been so dire. The Governor should be more concerned with keeping low and middle-income families in New York, instead of rewarding the ultra-wealthy who push them out. We will fight to tax the rich and invest in housing, education, and good jobs. The ultra-wealthy cannot determine the dignity that all New Yorkers deserve.” Olivia Leirer, Co-Executive Director, New York Communities for Change: “While our communities have borne the brunt of the housing and cost of living crisis, billionaires in New York continue to get richer by the minute. If Governor Hochul is serious about ensuring that the working-class New Yorkers who keep our state running can stay and thrive in their homes, she must invest in what we know creates safe and healthy communities— well-funded public schools, deeply affordable housing, green jobs, and a social safety net for all people, regardless of immigration status. It’s time for Governor Hochul to pass the Invest in Our New York package and finally make billionaires and corporations pay what they owe our communities.”

Jasmine Gripper, Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education: "The Alliance for Quality Education strongly supports the Invest in Our New York campaign, which successfully raised billions of public funds for our state, to ensure we have the resources necessary to transform the lives of New York's children and our collective future. New York's families need access to high-quality public education and early childhood education, but the state’s childcare system is woefully underfunded. New York’s economy benefits when the childcare sector is adequately funded with a well-compensated workforce. Last year, the Governor and the legislature made significant investments in the system by expanding access for families. This year, additional significant investment is absolutely necessary for the childcare workforce so programs remain open, children continue to get the care they need, and parents can work and obtain higher education. We are committed to fighting alongside our allies to ensure that all families have access to quality education and care."

Juanita O. Lewis, Executive Director, Community Voices Heard: "Now is the time to invest in New York families. We support the Invest in Our New York package calling for deep investments in healthcare, childcare, education, climate, quality jobs, and housing. We look forward to working with members of the state legislators to make this a reality."

Ricky Silver, Co-lead, Empire State Indivisible: “As the state with the highest concentration of wealth in the country, New York has the resources we need to support our communities and neighbors. We need Governor Hochul, and the state legislature, to stand with the working class and unrig the system that benefits the wealthy few. It’s time to invest in the services, and supports that keep us safe and healthy.”

Stanley Fritz, Movement Politics Director, Citizen Action of New York: “The Governor is missing a key opportunity to move New York forward. The real engine of our economy is the everyday striving New Yorkers whose work, spending, and energy keep things going. By having the wealthy and big corporations pay what they owe, our state would have the money to invest in programs and services that strengthen our communities. Things like great schools, access to child care, and good housing programs that regular people can afford, will improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers, and make our communities safer. We’re calling on Governor Hochul to do better by New Yorkers - when we make the well-being of the people of New York our top priority for how we use our public money, we all win.”

Charles Khan, Organizing Director, Strong Economy For All Coalition: "Governor Hochul will succeed if she takes concrete action to improve the lives of New Yorkers on the things that matter: affordable housing, transit and higher education, quality public schools and better paychecks boosted by raising the minimum wage. Last year’s budget didn’t cut it. Real improvements will take real investment – NOT new loopholes or failed corporate handouts. We’ll need to get real about making wealthy corporations pay what they owe to meet the needs of New Yorkers." Sochie Nnaemeka, Director, New York Working Families Party: “New York crowned new billionaires during the pandemic while working people took on two or three jobs to survive. To sustain families, we’re supporting the Invest in Our New York package, which calls for deep investments in affordable housing, climate, and clean energy, public education, child care, and quality jobs. We look forward to working with our WFP state leaders this session to truly deliver for working people.”

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About Invest in Our New York

Invest in Our New York (IONY) is a state-wide coalition fighting to rebuild the state’s economy by ending tax breaks for the wealthy and investing in working-class New Yorkers and their communities. After achieving a series of revenue-raising victories in 2021, IONY is calling on the Governor and State Legislature to invest the budget surplus and a portion of FY2024 economic development spending towards universal childcare, higher education, social housing, and climate justice programs as a common-sense approach to driving economic growth and building broader prosperity in New York.