U.S : VOCAL-NY State Budget Recap -- wins, losses, & what’s next.

 

 

 

This was a historic New York State budget. A weakened Governor Cuomo, and a movement determined to win transformational change secured major victories for New Yorkers. WHAT WE WON :  After 10 years of tireless advocacy, we won marijuana legalization grounded in racial and economic justice with our partners at Drug Policy Alliance and the Start SMART NY coalition. We are already seeing the impact as people are released from prison, and over 150,000 New Yorkers will soon have their marijuana records expunged.  After 8 years of organizing led by the NY-CAIC campaign, and two years after our hunger strike with allies in the HALT Solitary coalition, New York State has passed one of the strongest limitations to long-term solitary confinement in prisons and jails in the nation, ending a practice that the United Nations and our own members defined and described as torture. Passage of both these bills happened no thanks to Cuomo. He opposed these issues for years and blocked their passage. These victories are thanks to courageous community leaders who demanded justice, and to the legislators who committed to help them win.  Lastly, we’re also proud of the role we played in increasing taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers and corporations to fund long-term investments in New York, including expanded funding for public schools, Medicaid, a fund for excluded workers and more. These tax increases will ensure that our state begins to deliver for all New Yorkers, once and for all. WHAT WE LOST : We believed that the steady stream of scandals showing New Yorkers the true Andrew Cuomo would embolden our legislators to stand up to this political bully. It hasn’t. We believed the tragic consequences of a decade of regressive budgets would ensure our leaders made ending homelessness and overdose their priority. It hasn’t.  Despite early support by the New York Senate, then the New York Assembly, the legislature caved to Governor Cuomo’s pressure, leaving these key issues unaddressed. This budget provides no meaningful relief to the over 92,000 New Yorkers living in shelters or on the streets across the state, nor did it make critical investments to reverse record high overdose deaths. Read our full statement on the devastating disappointments in this year’s budget. WHAT’S NEXT : We have and will continue to fight for all of us. We’re transitioning to the State legislative session and demand the legislature finish it’s unfinished business. We expect the New York State Senate and Assembly to leverage their veto-proof majorities to win progressive policies for every New Yorker that was left behind in this year’s budget session -- primarily those struggling with homelessness and drug use. Here’s our legislative platform to learn about the policies we’re fighting for. Please consider giving a charitable contribution to support our work.

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