Agenda Agenda (1) Budget Justice Overview (2) Campaign Strategy (3) Deeper Dive Into Legislative Package (4) How Can You Get Involved? (5) Q&A
WE LIVE IN ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST STATES WE LIVE IN ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST STATES AND YET... AND YET... ● Our schools continue to await $4 billion in court-ordered funding ● 92,000 are homeless, and millions lack stable, affordable housing ● Our air and water are contaminated; the climate emergency deepens ● Our health care system has deteriorated while an opioid epidemic exploded ● Each of these problems falls hardest on poor, black, and brown people
ALL WHILE IN NEW YORK STATE... ALL WHILE IN NEW YORK STATE... ● We are home to the highest concentration of billionaires in the world--their combined wealth is more than three times our state’s entire budget ● The population of millionaires has grown 72% over the past decade ● A regressive property tax code places an ever - greater burden on working people ● Millions of dollars are wasted on corporate giveaways & failed economic development ● Billionaires & mega -millionaires get millions and billions in tax breaks
WE NEED TO CONFRONT A WORLDVIEW THAT DRI WE NEED TO CONFRONT A WORLDVIEW THAT DRIVES INEQUALITY VES INEQUALITY We all want to live in a fairer, cleaner, kinder and more equitable New York. What’s holding us back? ● Austerity ● A scarcity mindset ● Weaponized constructs: ○ The “radical Left” ○ NYC vs the rest of the state ● Systemic racism “We need to stop perceiving these crises as fixed realities of our society.” - Jawanza Williams, VOCAL NY
WHY THE BUDGET? WHY THE BUDGET? Problem: Problem: Austerity created by years of legislative paralysis and a budget process overwhelmingly controlled by a conservative Governor. The result has been a systematic transfer of wealth towards the wealthiest and special interests, and accelerating inequality leading to multiple crises: housing, mass incarceration, transit, climate, you name it. Solution: Solution: We need to claw back the governor’s disproportionate power over the budget process and hold Democratic leadership responsible for delivering budget justice. We do that by changing the political landscape. We need to build new political power and a new worldview, among constituents and within the legislature. Only then will be be able to deliver a budget that is built on principles of economic opportunity and the fundamental right to prosper.
BUDGET JUSTICE: PAST DUE BUDGET JUSTICE: PAST DUE Budget justice means taxing the vast, under -assessed extreme wealth in our state to raise an estimated $30+ billion, and investing it to make New York a better, fairer, safer home for us all.
WHAT COULD BE TAXED? WHAT COULD BE TAXED? • Second homes worth over $5 million • Vacant luxury homes and commercial properties • Additional brackets for annual income over $5 million, as in other states • The carried interest that currently lets hedge fund managers duck income taxes • Stock transactions • Stock buybacks • Companies that overcompensate CEOs • Foreign companies benefiting from Trump tax laws
WHO WOULD PAY? WHO WOULD PAY? Big corporations and the ultra-rich: Those who can easily afford it.
OH NO! YOU SAID TAXES IN ELECTION YEAR. BUT WH OH NO! YOU SAID TAXES IN ELECTION YEAR. BUT WHAT ABOUT??? AT ABOUT??? Won’t the wealthy move out of NYS if we ask them for more? Won’t the wealthy move out of NYS if we ask them for more? Will this place an unfair burden on Upstate & Long Island? Will this place an unfair burden on Upstate & Long Island? No. For example, with the ultra -millionaires proposal, Studies show that only a very few wealthy people will move, 2/3s of the individuals who would contribute live in and the increase in revenue is much greater than that loss two state senate districts in Manhattan. Those state senators, Liz Krueger and Brad Hoylman, have What about the middle class? What about the middle class? supported some ways of raising revenue every year Our proposals would affect only people making many and their districts keep re-electing them -- Hoylman 3 millions or billions a year. But while we’re on the topic, the times and Krueger 8 times. middle class is in a tight squeeze because of how NYS More money doesn’t solve every problem…? More money doesn’t solve every problem…? assesses property taxes. If we tied property taxes to income for owners and renters, the system would be more fair and Sure, money management is important too. Cuomo the middle class would have more to spend, which drives the proved he does not manage money well with his economy forward. $6B hole in the 2020-2021 budget, so the Legislature needs to be vigilant. One thing is for One thing is for Isn’t there a 2% annual budget spending cap? Isn’t there a 2% annual budget spending cap? certain: our multiple crises won’t improve certain: our multiple crises won’t improve Yes, but it’s not a law. Cuomo invented it, then WITHOUT money. WITHOUT money. We can fix that this year with sidesteps it anytime he wants to by moving money to your help! different accounts. His unilaterally imposed austerity is really just a way of maintaining political control.
HOW DO WE WIN: IN VISION HOW DO WE WIN: IN VISION Raise Revenue Responsibly Reject The 2% Spending Cap Balance Budgetary Powers ● ● ● $30+BN revenue It’s Cuomo’s mandate, Silver v Pataki gave potential stemming not a law Executive extreme, ● from a package of Austerity budget + unprecedented, power bills. LINK HERE. scarcity mindset = most over budget ● ● Delivering a New Yorkers get Those powers are progressive property screwed abused. ● ● tax system (circuit Electeds use to block or We need to re-litigate breaker) duck raising taxes on or pass a constitutional wealthiest (if we can’t amendment to spend it, why raise it) rebalance powers.
HOW DO WE WIN: IN PRACTICE HOW DO WE WIN: IN PRACTICE We learn from recent history...
HOW DO WE WIN: IN PRACTICE HOW DO WE WIN: IN PRACTICE We work in coalition... ….and many more!!
HOW DO WE WIN: IN PRACTICE HOW DO WE WIN: IN PRACTICE We engage (and enrage) the public at scale… ● Build public awareness Build public awareness - demystify the budget and budget process with forums, community outreach, tabling, etc. ● Support our Issue Advocacy partners Support our Issue Advocacy partners and connect the dots on policy and budget ● Identify and pressure potential legislative allies. Identify and pressure potential legislative allies. Make it clear that in an election year, our continued support demands a commitment to fight for budget justice.. ● Support progressive challengers Support progressive challengers who make budget issues their priorities in machine / conservative districts. ● Hold Cuomo accountable Hold Cuomo accountable and publicly attack the budget process itself.
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED? HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED? ● PREACH! Use our deck and handout to educate and engage your group and community. Or we'll arrange for a speaker or Zoom call. ● SUPPORT the work of our Issue Advocacy partners by showing up at their local events. ● SIGN ON your group to a Budget Justice letter to electeds. ● AMPLIFY! Follow and boost our social media and our Advocacy partners', and add your own. ● LOBBY! Educate and pressure your electeds, in Albany and in district. ● JOIN US! Go to www.nybudgetjustice.com for updates on events, actions, materials.
QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS?
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