100 NY State Senators & Assembly Members Pledge No Budget Cuts Without a Wealth Tax

Posted On June 18, 2020

For Immediate Release: June 18, 2020

Contact: monica@seneca-strategies.com, 917-565-0715


Cuomo to cut $10 billion from nurses, public school teachers, senior services and food banks — refuses to support wealth tax

99 Electeds and Labor: “We will not allow state budget cuts without raising revenue from those who can most afford to pay more”

**View the full commitment & list of signatories**

NEW YORK — 99 New York State Senators and Assembly Members today committed to block any state budget cuts without first raising revenue from the wealthy to close the state’s $14.3 billion budget deficit. The 99 electeds joined with 16 labor unions, including 1199SEIU and 32BJ SEIU, in pledging to block cuts without a wealth tax. Yet Governor Andrew Cuomo continues to refuse to consider raising revenue, and is instead planning to cut at least $10 billion from nurses, public school teachers, senior services and food banks. New data released in May revealed the net worth of New York’s 118 billionaires increased by $44.9 billion during coronavirus. 

“Ultra-millionaires and billionaires should not be the only constituency held harmless in this crisis. We are all in this together, and sacrifice must be shared. We the undersigned are clear: We will not allow state budget cuts without raising revenue from those who can most afford to pay more,” pledged 99 elected officials in their joint statement.

The legislators calling for increased revenue from the wealthy span the entire state, including New York City, the Hudson Valley, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and Long Island. Signatories include Finance Committee Chair State Senator Liz Krueger, Education Committee Chair State Senator Shelley Mayer, Higher Ed Committee Chair State Senator Toby Stavisky, Healthcare Committee Chair State Senator Gustavo Rivera, Transportation Committee Chair Tim Kennedy, Deputy Majority Leader State Senator Mike Gianaris, GOP State Senator Phil Boyle, Assemblymember Jeff Aubry, and more.

“Long before COVID-19, New York’s working people and communities of color bore the burden of underfunded schools, hospitals, and localities — while billionaires and ultra-millionaires kept growing wealthier. Now, as our students, our teachers, and our nurses face even more severe budget cuts, a critical mass of legislators is saying enough is enough,” said Strong Economy for All Director Michael Kink. “These last three weeks have shown that when we come together to demand a better future, we can win. We applaud our elected officials for using their political will to stand up and deliver for working people.”

Governor Cuomo has correctly stated the wealthy are doing fine:

Governor Cuomo has refused to support any of the following wealth taxes, despite the state’s budget deficit: 

  • $5.5 billion –  billionaire’s tax
  • $4.3 billion – An ultra-millionaire wealth tax
  • $650 million – A tax on wealthy New Yorkers’ luxury second and third homes

An overwhelming majority of New Yorkers support a combination of an ultra-millionaire tax, pied-a-terre tax, and repeals of stock transfer tax refunds and yacht and jet sales taxes, which together could plug the $8 billion deficit.

***View the full commitment & list of signatories***

100 Elected Officials:

Senator Brian Benjamin

Senator Alessandra Biaggi 

Senator Phil Boyle
Senator Neil Breslin

Senator John Brooks

Senator Carl Carlucci

Senator James Gaughran
Senator Michael Gianaris
Senator Andrew Gounardes
Senator Pete Harckham

Senator Brad Hoylman
Senator Robert Jackson

Senator Todd Kaminsky

Senator Brian Kavanaugh
Senator Tim Kennedy

Senator Liz Krueger
Senator John Liu
Senator Rachel May
Senator Jen Metzger

Senator Shelley Mayer
Senator Zellnor Myrie

Senator Roxanne Persaud
Senator Jessica Ramos
Senator Gustavo Rivera
Senator Julia Salazar
Senator James Sanders Jr. 

Senator Diane Savino

Senator Jose Serrano, Jr.
Senator James Skoufis
Senator Toby Ann Stavisky

Senator Kevin Thomas

Assemblymember Peter J. Abbate Jr.
Assemblymember Tom Abinanti
Assemblymember Jeffrion Aubry

Assemblymember Didi Barrett
Assemblymember Brian Barnwell
Assemblymember Charles Barron

Assemblymember Michael Benedetto
Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson
Assemblymember David Buchwald
Assemblymember Pat Burke

Assemblymember Robert Carroll
Assemblymember Bill Colton
Assemblymember Catalina Cruz

Assemblymember Taylor Darling
Assemblymember Maritza Davila
Assemblymember Michael DenDekker
Assemblymember Carmen De La Rosa 

Assemblymember Joe DeStefano
Assemblymember Inez E. Dickens
Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz

Assemblymember Steve Englebright
Assemblymember Harvey Epstein
Assemblymember Patricia Fahy
Assemblymember Nathalia Fernandez
Assemblymember Mathylde Frontus
Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick
Assemblymember Richard Gottfried

Assemblymember Aileen Gunther

Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi
Assemblymember Pamela Hunter 

Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman

Assemblymember Ellen Jaffee
Assemblymember Kimberly Jean-Pierre
Assemblymember Ron Kim
Assemblymember Charles David Lavine
Assemblymember Joe Lentol

Assemblymember Barbara Lifton
Assemblymember Donna Lupardo
Assemblymember John T. McDonald III

Assemblymember Michael Miller
Assemblymember Walter Mosley
Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou
Assemblymember Cathy Nolan

Assemblymember Danny O’Donnell
Assemblymember Felix Ortiz

Assemblymember Steve Otis
Assemblymember Amy Paulin

Assemblymember Victor Pichardo
Assemblymember Dan Quart
Assemblymember Karines Reyes
Assemblymember Diana Richardson
Assemblymember Robert Rodriguez

Assemblymember Daniel Rosenthal
Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal
Assemblymember Nily Rozic

Assemblymember Sean Ryan
Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright
Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon
Assemblymember Aravella Simotas

Assemblymember Michaelle Solages
Assemblymember Phil Steck
Assemblymember Al Taylor
Assemblymember Fred Thiele
Assemblymember Monica Wallace
Assemblymember David Weprin
Assemblymember Jaime R. Williams

Assemblymember Tremaine Wright
Assemblymember Kenneth P. Zebrowski

Unions and Organizations:

1199SEIU

32BJ SEIU

NYS AFL-CIO

Communications Workers of America, District One

New York State United Teachers

Professional Staff Congress/CUNY

Public Employees Federation

Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union

AFSCME Council 66

UAW Region 9A

AFSCME District Council 37

New York State Nurses Association

United University Professions

Local One I.A.T.S.E.

Strong Economy for All

Fiscal Policy Institute

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