Hi John,
The State budget has entered its third week of overtime, with legislators passing another extender Monday. Despite Governor Hochul's claim that she is seeking the "right" budget, the real reason for the delay is that she’s trying to force the legislature to cave to her entire pro-billionaires agenda, including rolling back bail reform, tenant protections and expanding privately run charter schools — issues that will affect millions of New Yorkers.
We must show our support to our State Representatives who are fighting for us and our communities. We want to send them words of encouragement and tell them to keep fighting. Send an email now telling your State Legislators to hold the line, and keep Hochul’s charter school expansion out of the enacted budget!
New York's students, families and communities cannot afford an enacted budget that looks like Governor Hochul’s proposal, that protects billionaires, not children & families. We need the enacted budget to include the types of investments that the State Legislature proposed — like workforce compensation for child care workers — and to reject the expansion of charter schools.
The Democrats have a supermajority in both the State Senate and State Assembly. It is our Legislators who have the power of the people behind them, and they who should have the upper hand in negotiations — not Governor Hochul, who only narrowly won the governor's race last year. Hochul should not steamroll our representatives in budget negotiations.
Ask your State Legislators to keep fighting for what they know is right, and for what they know our communities need. We know it isn’t easy, but we are standing with them. Governor Hochul needs to negotiate in good faith and work with the legislature to create a budget that reflects the needs and priorities of New York’s students and families. Tell them to hold the line, and keep Hochul’s charter school expansion out of the enacted budget.
In solidarity,
Jasmine Gripper
