Action Alerts – Week of Nov 6th – CNY Solidarity Coalition

CNY Solidarity members and supporters:
Please find below the weekly ACTION ALERT from our legislative action teams.

The major issue this and the next few weeks, is federal tax policy — TrumpTaxScam which overlaps with healthcare, such as womens reproductive rights. This week we have a TrumpTaxScam rally on Monday and a call to members of congress to oppose inclusion of fetal personhood language in the tax bill.

At the state and local level, remember that Election Day is coming up this Tuesday, November 7. Four (4) propositions are on the ballot, on the reverse side of the ballot, so please remember to flip your ballot after voting for individual races.

CNY Solidarity has taken a formal position on only one item on the ballot (VOTE NO on Prop. 1), but we encourage all members to inform themselves and vote on all relevant races and ballot measures. Our state legislative action team reminds us that there will be three proposals in total and four if you vote in Onondaga County. Proposal 1 would call for a constitutional convention to explore potential changes to the state constitution. CNY Solidarity has voted to recommend a NO vote on this measure.

Proposal 2 would allow judges to reduce or revoke the state pension of a public officer convicted of a felony related to his or her duties. Proposal 3 would create a 250-acre land bank, which would allow local governments to request forest preserve land for projects in exchange for the state acquiring 250 acres for the forest preserves. This brochure from the League of Women Voters of NY has more details on these two proposals.

For Onondaga County voters, a fourth proposal would hand over supervision of the county jail to the County Sheriffs office. There are a few details in this Syracuse.com story.

And now, on to this weeks action alerts:

Monday (Nov 6)

2 actions today: 1 rally and 1 phone call

Rally Against #TrumpTaxScam

The White House is sending SBA Administrator Linda McMahon to Syracuse to defend the #TrumpTaxScam. Shell be appearing with Rep. Katko and Tenney, both of whose votes are crucial to passing giant tax cuts for the 1%. Well be outside to say #NotOnePenny in tax cuts for millionaires.

The Tech Garden, Fiber-Tech Theater, 235 Harrison St, Syracuse NY 13202

Monday, Nov. 6, 2017, 9:30am

Recall Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to testify about incomplete disclosure during Senate confirmation procedure

Call Senators Schumer and Gillibrand to ask that the Senate recall Wilbur Ross to address incomplete disclosures, investments and conflicts of interest they pose to his service in the Presidents Cabinet:

Call Sen. Schumer: (315) 423-5471 or (202) 224-6542; and Sen. Gillibrand: (315) 448-0470 or 202) 224-4451.

Issue: Prior to confirmation, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross submitted a letter to the designated ethics official at the Commerce department, explaining steps he was taking to avoid all conflicts of interest. However, documents from the Paradise Papers show he retains significant investments in Navigator Holdings. Navigator earns millions of dollars a year transporting gas for one of its top clients, the giant Russian energy company Silbur, which has significant business ties to President Vladimir V. Putins son-in-law, as well as a Russian oligarch subject to American sanctions and a member of Putins inner circle. Ross must be recalled to Congress to testify about his incomplete disclosure, his investments in Navigator, and the conflict of interests they pose to his service in the Presidents Cabinet.

Tuesday (Nov 7)

1 action today: vote

Election day

Polls open 6am-9pm. The only item on the ballot on which CNY Solidarity has taken a formal position is to VOTE NO on Prop. 1 (on the back of your ballot) regarding a proposed state constitutional convention. But we encourage all members to inform themselves and vote on all relevant races and ballot measures.

Wednesday (Nov 8)

1 event today

Meet the candidates for NY24

We the People Oswego Indivisible is hosting a meeting with candidates for Congress in NY24. John Katko, Dana Balter, and Anne Messenger have all been invited; Balter and Messenger have confirmed that they will attend. 5-6:30pm, Community Room, Oswego City Library, 120 E 2nd St, Oswego, NY 13126.

Thursday (Nov 9)

3 actions today, including 1 phone call

SLAT meeting with Colleen Deacon, Governor Cuomos regional representative. 10 am, Center for Peace & Social Justice, 2013 E Genesee St. Email canela8800@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

Continue pressuring Rep. Katko for a clean DREAM Act.

We rallied a few weeks back to support immigrant youth and their families affected by Pres. Trumps recent decision to repeal the DACA program. Since then, Rep. Katko has signed on as co-sponsor of H.R. 1468 Recognizing Americas Children Act. This is a Republican bill that does not provide adequate protections for Dreamers.

Please call Katkos office today and urge him to support H.R. 3440, the Dream Act of 2017. This bill has five Republican co-sponsors, but Katko isnt one of them. More details here. As always, Katkos numbers are 202-225-3701 (DC) 315-423-5657 (Syracuse), 315-253-4068 (Auburn).

ICE Rapid Response Training, 6:30-8 pm at Workers Center of CNY, 2013 E Genesee St, Syracuse, NY 13210.

Register to join this well orchestrated and quick (only 90 minutes) community response to raids and other actions against vulnerable communities. No prior experience necessary.

For more info: Marianna.kaufman@gmail.com

Friday (Nov 10)

One phone call today

Oppose inclusion of Fetal Personhood language in Tax Bill

#TrumpTaxScam bill includes language that will enshrine the unborn into federal law, allowing parents to provide educational savings in 529 plans for a child in utero. This is a slick back door attempt to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Call members of congress today.

Katkos numbers are 202-225-3701 (DC) 315-423-5657 (Syracuse), 315-253-4068 (Auburn)

Sen. Schumer: (315) 423-5471 or (202) 224-6542; and

Sen. Gillibrand: (315) 448-0470 or 202) 224-4451.

More information here:

Saturday (Nov 11)

No actions today (until further notice!). Enjoy the day with friends and family.

Sunday (Nov 12)

One Love Benefit Concert for Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief. 2-8pm. Palace Theater, 2384 James St. in Syracuse. Co-sponsored by CNY Solidarity. More details (including ticket purchases) here.

Save the date for these upcoming events:

Wed., Nov. 15, 7-9pm: CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting, Bishop Harrison Center, 1342 Lancaster Ave., Syracuse. More details here.

Fri., Nov. 17, 5pm: Learn more about the history of Syracuse’s 15th Ward at ACLU meeting/social, Community Folk Art Gallery, 805 E. Genesee St.

Mon., Dec. 4, 7-8:30pm: CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting, Southwest Community Center in Syracuse. Again, note the date change; this was originally scheduled for Dec. 6.

Sun., Dec. 17, 3-6pm: CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting and potluck, Bishop Harrison Center.

Today and every day, be sure to follow us online and on social media!

Check out our website: www.cnysolidarity.org

Check us out on Flickr and Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Youre receiving this email because youre subscribed to the CNY Solidarity Coalition announcements list. This is a low-volume list (typically no more than 4-6 messages per week), which now has almost 2,000 subscribers. We also maintain higher-volume listservs (cnysolidarity-discussion@lists.riseup.net and cnysolidarity-legislativeaction@lists.riseup.net) as venues for discussion of key Coalition-wide organizing priorities and key legislative-action team organizing priorities, respectively. If youd like to be added to either or both of these, please reply to me and let me know which ones.

In solidarity,

Chris