CNY Solidarity Coalition

United in defense of our community and our neighbors

Community Events & Newsletter – March 29 to April 5, 2022

From CNY Solidarity Coalition:

Upcoming Meetings (Summer Dates Added): 4/10/22, 4/24/22, 5/15/22, 6/12/22, 6/26/22, 7/10/22, 8/21/22. 

Committees meet on their own. See last page to sign up for committee lists.

Next Meeting April 10, 3 PM We are planning an in-person meeting at Bishop Harrison Center. More on this next week.   

News from Our Committees: 

From the Climate Justice Committee and the State/Local Action Team:

How to Build a Carbon-Neutral City

From our 2/22 Newsletter: At our March 20 meeting, the Climate Justice Committee arranged a presentation by Luis Aquirre-Torres, Ithaca’s Director of Sustainability. In November 2021, the city of Ithaca, NY voted to become America’s first carbon-neutral community. The plan projects full carbon neutrality by 2030. Implementing the plan will include:

·       meeting the electricity needs of City government operations with 100% renewable electricity by 2025, 

·       reducing emissions from City vehicle fleet by 50% by 2025

·       adopting a Green Building Code for new buildings in 2019, which will ban the use of fossil fuels

·       adopting a Green Building Code for existing buildings by 2021, which will eliminate of fossil fuels for heating and other domestic uses when major renovations take place. 

The presentation was astoundingly comprehensive, including planning, financing, building public support, codes changes, utility interfacing, transportation , etc. 

Updates:

·       Watch Luis Aquirre-Torres’ presentation Here

·      And see this article on NPR: To fight climate change, Ithaca votes to decarbonize its buildings by 2030Read it “Ithaca is the first U.S. city to establish such a plan, which the city says will cut Ithaca’s 400,000 tons per year of carbon dioxide emissions by 40%. The timeline to achieve its goal is much sooner than what other cities around the world have pledged to do.”

·       And read about the most recent frightening UN report; An ‘atlas of human suffering’: United Nations publishes grim new report on climate change  Read about it on AlterNet

·       More to come soon! Watch for updates here. 

Also: Thank you for your e-mails and letters in support of the proposed solar code by the Town of Manlius.
… the Town Board members voted unanimously for the solar code. 

ARTICLES OF THE WEEK:

Taxpayer tab is $850M for Bills’ new stadium, NY gov says

State and county taxpayers will be asked to commit $850 million in public funds toward construction of the Buffalo Bills’ new stadium — which has a state-projected price tag of $1.4 billion — as part of a 30-year lease agreement reached on Monday. Read it on Syracuse.com

Cory Booker Aside, Democrats Stranded Ketanji Brown Jackson

Read it on Slate

“…More mysterious than this coordinated GOP project to undermine LGBTQ rights, marriage equality, contraception, and abortion—again, none of this is new or shocking—was the almost complete silence from Senate Democrats on these issues of substantive due process, privacy, and bodily autonomy. On the simplest level, the hearing might have been an opportunity to explain why Roe v. Wade is in fact the tip of the constitutional iceberg…”

Senator Cory Booker’s Incredible Speech On Ketanji Brown Jackson

Watch it Here

A Once Radical Idea to Close the Wealth Gap Is Actually Happening

How economist Darrick Hamilton brought baby bonds from Bed-Stuy to U.S. statehouses.

Read it on Bloomberg

Largest ‘Built All-At-Once’ Wind Farm Opens in Oklahoma, Saves Customers $1 Billion

Even in a gas and oil state, customers are saving a billion dollars by switching to wind. That is the future, my friend.

Read it on https://www.commondreams.org

A Battle Over Building Codes May Be The Most Important Climate Fight You’ve Never Heard Of. Read it onHuffPost

Big polluters tightened control over the nation’s building codes last year. Now fresh meddling from a gas utility has stoked fears for the future.

And in case you missed it: Syracuse Peace Council’s e-Newsletter: Extensive Ukraine News and Opinion:  Very Thorough and Useful! Reflections on the Peace Council’s position; Resources for more information; Places to donate. https://www.peacecouncil.net/programs/e-newsletter

ACTION ALERTS: 

NYS Budget due Friday. Please make a call or send an email. 

From the Statewide Invest in Our NY Campaign: 

SUMMARY OF IONY ASKS vs GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED BUDGET vs ONE-HOUSES 

The Senate and Assembly have both completed their “one-house budget proposals”, they are both about $5bil higher than the Governor’s. Pick whichever issues you feel are most critical, and call the Governor. 1-518-474-8390 or use the contact form at https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form

CLIMATEAsk was $15B as a “down payment” to finally start funding the “dry” CLCPA Governor claims “billions” but the bulk of it is a $4B bond proposal that would have to be voted on in Nov, and normal agency funding. THIS IS NOT ACTUAL BUDGET ALLOCATION

Actual new funding in Gov’s proposal adds up to only $1.8B ($750mm for electrification, $500mm for wind, $500mm for clean water, $44.5M for Environmental Protection Fund) 

Senate’s only improvement was raising the bond proposal to $6B; Assembly raised to $5B Climate.

From NY Renews

  1. Use this one-click tool to send a message to the big 3 because we need a $15 billion investment now. 

CHILD CARE$5B for expansion of childcare subsidies. (Both one-house budgets  have at least $3B, Gov has $1.1B)

HOUSING

$250M for the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) – would provide housing vouchers for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of imminent homelessness, allowing them to pay 30% of their income toward rent, with the rest covered by the voucher. (In both one-houses, up to $1B over five years)

$150M more for Housing Our Neighbors With Dignity Act (HONDA) that passed in August to fund the state purchase of financially-distressed hotels and commercial properties to create permanent affordable housing for homeless and housing-vulnerable New Yorkers – the additional funds would expand it to Upstate (In both one-houses) 

$1.5B for COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Program (in both one-houses)

End luxury developer boondoggle “affordable housing” subsidy 421-a and keep it ended (as both one-houses propose, don’t replace it with the Gov’s proposed almost-the-same 485-W)

EXCLUDED WORKERS  Ask was $3.2B for new funding for the Excluded Workers fund that provided aid for COVID-related losses to 130K excluded workers (because undocumented, paid in cash as day laborers and domestic workers, etc) until the funds ran out. The additional $$ would aid the 75K who qualified but were turned away and the estimated 100K who did not get a chance to appy at all. (Not in Gov’s budget or either one-house – need at least $1.2B)

FAIR PAY FOR HOME CARE: Ask is $630M this year, $2.5B next year Would raise home care wages to 150% of minimum wage, end home care shortage, create 250K jobs

In both one-houses, not in Governor’s budget at all

  1. Join us at the Governor’s Mansion in Albany on Wed, March 30th at 12PM! This will be one of our last big in-person pushes and we need all hands on deck. RSVP here!  
  2. Sign up to take a 5-minute Action-A-Day for Fair Pay between now and the end of budget – when hundreds of us make a call, send an email or post on social media – it makes a big impact on decision-makers! 


NY Health Care: 

Use this action tool to easily call, email and tweet at Gov. Hochul urging her to include all three bills in the final budget deal

A226/S5255 to repeal the Medicaid spending cap in order to fully fund this essential public health program

Coverage 4 All A880A/S1572A to expand the Essential Plan to to all low-income New Yorkers regardless of their immigration status.

Fair Pay for Home Care Act A6329/S5374 to ensure fair pay for homecare workers, most of whom are women of color, in order to grow the homecare workforce and meet outstanding patient need.  

Please keep calling Governor Hochul (especially), Senator Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Heastie on the key issues above, and keep uplifting the messaging (on Twitter and elsewhere) from our key advocacy allies.

Phone calls:

  • Governor Hochul: 1-518-474-8390 (press 3, then 2) 
  • Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins (518) 455-2585 
  • Assembly Speaker Heastie (518) 455-3791 (ask to be transferred to the person who takes messages about positions on issues)

Basic script for Hochul: Hi, my name is ________ and I am urging the Governor to follow the lead of the Senate and Assembly as she goes into final negotiations on the budget. New Yorkers like me worked hard to pass the measures that raised the extra revenue now available to invest in our communities. For New Yorkers suffering from two years of pandemic on top of decades of disinvestment, the “rainy day” is now. In particular I want to highlight [pick 2-3 areas from the key issue asks. Add personal reasons or stories if you have them]. I also want to insist that she respond to facts, not fear-mongering, and uphold the important criminal justice reforms the legislature has enacted.  

Basic script for ASC/Heastie: Hi, my name is ________. I am urging the Majority Leader/Speaker to hold the line with the Governor at the strongest of the one-house proposals as she/he goes into final negotiations on the budget. New Yorkers like me worked hard to pass the measures that raised the extra revenue now available to invest in our communities. In particular I want to highlight [pick 2-3 areas from the key issue asks. Add personal reasons or stories if you have them]. I also want to thank him/her for honoring the facts, not caving in to fear-mongering, and urge him/her to continue to uphold the important criminal justice reforms the legislature has enacted. 

Key budget advocacy organizations and their Twitter handles:

  • Alliance for Quality Education@AQE_NY (child care)
  • Housing Justice for All @housing4allNY (housing)
  • New York Renews @NYRenews (environment)
  • VOCAL-NY @VOCALNewYork (criminal justice)
  • NY Caring Majority @CaringMajority (home health care workers)
  • Fund Excluded Workers@FEWCoalition (excluded workers)
  • Strong Economy for All @strongforall (reining in corporate subsidies, and overall)

EVENTS/ACTIONS CALENDAR:

Residents of Burnet Road fight to save their homes from being taken by the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency (OCIDA) to expand the empty White Pine Commerce Park. 

March 30th @ 7:00 PM

Palace Theatre, 2384 James St, Syracuse, NY 13206 

Join us for free pizza, film screening, and an opportunity to hear how the Onondaga County is abusing their eminent domain authority by threatening to seize your neighbors’ homes.The film, Little Pink House, tells the true story of  Susette Kelo, (starring Catherine Keener), who fought to save her and her neighbors’ homes from being seized through eminent domain, and went to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

The entire Burnet Road neighborhood would be displaced. If the homes of Burnet Road are not safe from this kind of abuse of government power, then no one’s home is safe. Followed by a brief discussion about eminent domain abuse in Clay. After the film, you’ll hear from the Save Burnet Road  coalition, and learn what you can do to save your neighbors’ homes and stop eminent domain abuse. Contact: Ellen Hamlett at ehamlett@ij.org to learn more.

Democratic Socialists of America, Syracuse Chapter General Meeting 

March 30th at 7:30pm.

Some of the campaigns we are working on:

winning Good Cause Eviction tenant protections in Syracuse

winning renewable public power in NYS

winning healthcare for all New Yorkers with the New York Health Act

Many of these demands will be decided on in the next few months. We will divide into breakout rooms for most of the meeting and you can choose which campaign’s room you want to participate in for the day. Each campaign will be able to decide how they use the time. This is a great entry point for learning about and working on one of the exciting campaigns. Then at the end we will come back together. Sign-up Here

Presentation of the Great Americans Medal for Ruth Bader Ginsburg

National Museum of American History 

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

6:30PM ET

A virtual program to posthumously recognize Ruth Bader Ginsburg for her groundbreaking judicial work and

commitment to gender equality and human rights. Followed by a donation of significant artifacts representing Justice Ginsburg’s Supreme Court career Register Here

Back from the Brink Open House

Mar 31, 2022 08:00 PM EDT Register

This one hour Zoom discussion will provide an opportunity for supporters, BftB activists and the general public to get the latest on the Ukraine war and how it’s impacting our work. We’ll share updates about Back From the Brink’s strategies and priorities, and provide folks with specific actions they can take at this moment, in their communities. Nuclear weapons expert and disarmament advocate, Zia Mian, Co-Director of Princeton University’s Program on Science and Global Security will be joining us. We’ll be sending additional details to all registrants prior to the event. Back from the Brink: https://preventnuclearwar.org

Syracuse BLM Police & Prison Abolition Study Group (Meeting #6) 

SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2022 AT 12 PM – 1:30 PM

Syracuse BLM Police & Prison Abolition Study Group (Meeting #6)

Event by BLM Syracuse

BLM is hosting biweekly police & prison abolition study group sessions! If you want to learn more about prisons, police, police abolition, or how to fight police violence, come thru. It’s a good way to meet other activists in Central New York and talk about how we can make Syracuse a safe city for everyone. Our next study group meeting is Saturday, April 2nd at noon.

See the Syracuse BLM Facebook page for posts on what articles & videos we’ll be talking about in each meeting.

If you want to join any of the study sessions and need accommodations (internet access, ASL services, etc.), please email Syracuse BLM at blacklivesmattersyracuse315@gmail.com AS SOON AS POSSIBLE so we can try to get your accommodations.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84920453656
Meeting ID: 849 2045 3656 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbgO2yzRN 

FROM WHERE WE STAND: Photographs from The Stand’s Annual South Side Photo Walk

April 2, 2022 to May 14, 2022

ArtRage

The South Side Newspaper Project, a collaboration of neighborhood residents and Syracuse University, has given voice to the South Side community of Syracuse since its founding in 2010. The annual summer Photo Walk is its largest annual community event, bringing together photographers of all skill levels and ages to explore the South Side, take photos and practice their skills. This exhibition features photographs taken during this event throughout its 12-year history and is a visual testament to the struggles and resiliency of the neighborhood.

**SAVE THE DATES**

Syracuse City Redistricting Commission Public Meeting

April 7 at Henninger High School. 7 PM and see additional sessions below

For the first time, an independent non-partisan citizen commission is responsible for redrawing the boundary lines for Syracuse’s five Common Council districts.  The Democrats on the Common Council deserve great credit for passing this legislation rather than gerrymandering their districts! These meetings are opportunities for residents to provide input and information on their desires regarding these boundaries for the commission to consider.

These common council districts have not been changed since 2002 and need some work.  This is a first in New York where private citizens will reshape their boundaries allowing voters to choose their representatives and not the other way around.  

Please consider attending one of these hearings.  Dustin Czarny’s  website has  the first of a 6 part series diving into the city of Syracuse population and registration data.  These #wonkywednesday articles you may find helpful in understanding the current state of the City of Syracuse and its five districts. 

Also FairmapsCNY will be going to these hearings and livestreaming them on their facebook page and later rebroadcasting them on their twitter. Here are the links:

FairmapsCNY: https://www.facebook.com/FairMapsCNY

Syracuse Redistricting Commission: https://www.facebook.com/City-of-Syracuse-Redistricting-Commission-108624081618422

Future public sessions

·       April 24 at Corcoran High School. 4 PM

·       April 28 at Nottingham High School. 4 PM

And for an in-depth overview, see Dustin Czarny’s video:

Moral March on Wall Street and Mass Meeting 

New York State Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival & Campaign

Monday, April 11, 4:30 pm gather, 5 pm march, 6 pm program

 Co-Chairs: Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis

Gather at Battery Park (4:30 pm)

Program at Trinity Wall Street (6 pm): 89 Broadway: New York, NY 10006

Directly impacted people, faith leaders, and artists will come together to demand this nation do MORE to live up to its possibilities:  

  • MORE to fully address the interlocking injustices of systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation and the denial of health care, militarism and the war economy, and the false moral narrative of religious nationalism. 
  • MORE to change the narrative and build the power of those most impacted by these injustices. 
  • MORE to realize a 3rd Reconstruction agenda that can build this country from the bottom up and realize the nation we have yet to be. 

The event will be livestreamed on the Poor People’s Campaign FB page and at poorpeoplescampaign.org/livestream.

Register to join us in NYC on April 11th!!!

 Upstate Health Equity Virtual Forum on Wednesday April 13 

Wednesday, April 13, 6-7PM
Zoom RSVP here

Join Campaign for New York Health and state legislators hear about the systemic changes that are needed to make healthcare a right in our state and to learn how you can help win healthcare for all this year. 

Co-sponsored by Campaign for New York Health, NYS Poor People’s Campaign, New York State Nurses Association, Coalition for Economic Justice, Melinated Moms, Syracuse United Neighbors, ARISE

Electronics Recycling Events –  Free – Starting April 23: https://www.sunnking.com/events

EarthFest 2022 – Drive Electric Earth Day 

SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2022 AT 10 AM – 2 PM

Fayetteville Free Library

EarthFest 2022 – Drive Electric Earth Day

Event by Sustainable Manlius

Rain Date May 7, 2022 10-2 p.m.

Come and explore the world in a new way! Visit the Drive Electric Earth Day “EV Row” where you can see a variety of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Connect with local organizations who offer great educational resources and volunteer opportunities to help make our community a more sustainable and eco-driven community. Connect with local business owners and learn how their business is striving to help our community reach our sustainability goals. 

Free Shredding Event – Confidential Documents Only
Saturday, May 14 9 a.m. to Noon; Orange Parking Lot of the NYS Fairgrounds. Registration

Legs Against Lyme Awareness Walk

Saturday, May 21, 2022, 11 AM  at Onondaga Lake Park! This is a 3K (1.8 mile) walk.

The Central New York Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease Alliance 

Join our team of providers, scientists and community members at the Willow Bay Area as we march against ticks and the diseases they carry. You will walk alongside some of the leading local (and national) experts in disease advocacy and research. We are just that lucky to have them on our team, right here in Central New York! Your registration fee covers the cost of your t-shirt and refreshments. 

Busy, But Want To Do Your Part To Help End War And Oppression? Join A Bunch Of Us For 45 Minutes On Any Tuesday, Friday Or Saturday

TUESDAYS TWICE A MONTH : as of April 5 we’ll be stepping up our HANCOCK demos  from the first Tuesday to both the first & third Tuesday — same time  (4 to 4:45 p.m) and as it has been for over a decade, is on ending killer drones.EVERY SATURDAY: as of April 2 we are resuming our “fair weather” street heat across from the Regional Market, from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Every Saturday morning. same time and place as in  previous years. While most of our signs focus on killer drones, we also will bringwider selection (anti-war, anti-nuclear, etc,).EVERY FRIDAY: we are continuing our every Friday street heat in De Witt at the broad intersection of Erie Blvd east and East Genesee from 4 to 4:45 pm.  For years out focus has been solidarity withPalestine; While Russia’s invasion of Ukraine persists our signs will also address  that crisis.To learn more contact Ann or Ed, 315 478 4571.###

CNY Solidarity Coalition

Check out our Website and our Instagram.

Twitter: @CNYSolidarity and @IndivisibleNY24

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cnysolidarity/  and 

www.facebook.com/groups/IndivisibleNY24

Mailing Address:

CNY Solidarity Coalition 

2013 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, NY 13210

To contribute: Donate Here through PayPalOr send checks to mailing address above

Our Committees: To sign up for each of the committee mailing lists, contact the person listed. 

Indivisible NY24: Contact: Deborah Rose: dcurryrose@gmail.com

Climate Justice: Contact: Dick Kornbluth dick@dickkornbluth.com

SLAT (State/Local Action Team) Contact: Peter McCarthy – pmccar1100@gmail.com  

Beyond War and Militarism. A joint committee of CNY Solidarity Coalition and the Syracuse Peace Council. Contact: Ron Van Norstrand; ron@vannorstrandlaw.com

CNY Solidarity Coalition makes regular contributions to local progressive organizationsSyracuse Peace Council, National Action Network, and Urban Jobs Coalition, as well as to our mailing list provider, RiseUp. We also make occasional donations as needed to other local groups. We depend on our supporters’ contributions for this. 

To contribute: Donate Here through PayPalOr send checks to the mailing address at the end of the newsletter.

Peter McCarthy
pmccar1100@gmail.com

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