#capitalismfailed

Our full statement in response to Governor Hochul’s State of the State address:

NEW YORK WORKING FAMILIES PARTY

While many of Governor Hochul's proposals speak to the struggles facing working New Yorkers, we need more from our leaders in Albany this year. The housing and affordability crises, which have developed over decades of underinvestment and have been exacerbated by the pandemic, must be met with solutions that meet the scale of the problem.

At a time when millions of New Yorkers are struggling to pay rent and meet their basic needs, we need to both raise the minimum wage and make long overdue investments in permanently affordable housing, including green social housing, as well as pass Good Cause eviction protections and fund the Housing Access Voucher Program. We know that more tax breaks and subsidies for wealthy developers and corporate real estate have not delivered-and will not deliver-the kind of long-term stability that working families need.

To make New York affordable for working families, we must deepen our investment in child care and public education, including our SUNY and CUNY systems, and transition our communities to low-cost, publicly- controlled renewable energy. With House Republicans further rigging the rules to enshrine an unequal tax system, New York must ensure that the wealthiest among us pay what they owe in taxes. Without a commitment to public investment and a fair tax system, the New York dream will remain unrealized.

We support the Governor's focus on addressing the housing, medical, and comprehensive care needs of New Yorkers who live with chronic mental illness. The only solution to solving our mental health crisis is deep investments in the well-being of New Yorkers-not criminalization and forced intervention.

New York must continue on the progress we've made by building a more just and effective criminal legal system and fostering safety through investments in community-based violence prevention. We cannot further cede to bad faith Republican attacks on bail reform and other civil rights and racial justice protections. We thank Assembly Speaker Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for continuing to hold the line on these evidence-based principles.

Finally, it's imperative that we curb the toxic influence of corporate interests and dark money in our politics by fully funding New York's forthcoming small donor matching program for state elections. The $114.5 million requested by the Public Campaign Finance Board is a crucial investment in our democracy and will strengthen the voice of everyday New Yorkers.

We remain committed to pushing both the Governor and the State Legislature to pass a budget that meets the moment and creates a healthy, safe, and affordable New York for all.