CNY Solidarity Action Alerts (Week of April 17)

Monday (April 17): Two phone-calling actions today—1 state, 1 federal

Support tax transparency

Following up on the Tax March, let’s continue our push for tax transparency. At the state level, we can encourage our reps to pass a law that would require presidential candidates to release their taxes in order to appear on NYS ballot. Twenty-six states are considering such laws, including New York. Let’s push to make this happen. Call your NYS Senator & find out if they have introduced or are cosponsoring such a bill. Most of us are represented in the State Senate by David Valesky (315-478-8745) or John DeFrancisco (315-428-7632), but if you’re not sure whose district you’re in, click here and enter your address to find out.

Support tax transparency again!

Please call Rep. Katko and urge him to sign the discharge petition for HR 305: The Presidential Tax Transparency Act. A discharge petition, if signed by a majority of members of the House, forces the Majority Leader to schedule a bill for a vote. More details on the discharge petition process here; and recommended phone script on the tax transparency act here. Katko’s numbers are 315-423-5657 (Syracuse), 315-253-4068 (Auburn), or 202-225-3701 (DC). As always, identify yourself as a constituent, tell a personal story if you have one, and be polite to congressional staff.

Tuesday (April 18): Two phone-calling actions today—1 state, 1 local

Support immigrant rights in New York

Please call Gov. Cuomo and urge his support for Green Light NY, the Dream Act, and the Liberty Act. Green Light NY would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers’ licenses, marked specifically for driving only. When immigrants don’t have access to licenses, they can’t legally drive to work or to the doctor, and a routine traffic stop can lead to deportation and the separation of families. More details here. The Dream Act would provide state financial aid for college to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the US as children. If the license fees resulting from Green Light legislation were used to fund the Dream Act, undocumented immigrants would fund college financial aid for undocumented immigrants. The Liberty Act which would make NYS a sanctuary state. Governor Cuomo is at 1-518-474-8390.

Support immigrant rights in Onondaga County

If you live in Onondaga County, please call County Executive Joanie Mahoney and your county legislator and demand that they make Onondaga County a sanctuary county. Tell them that Tompkins County became a sanctuary county on Feb. 24th. Remind Mahoney that at last week’s debate regarding consolidation, she proclaimed (from the audience) that Onondaga County speaks up for minorities and other city residents just as the City of Syracuse does. Also, request that she use her influence to ask the governor to pass the Liberty Act to make NYS a sanctuary state. County Executive Mahoney is at 315-435-3516. To find your county legislator, click here and then click on 2012 District Maps on the left-hand side of the page.

Wednesday (April 19): One phone-calling action and one in-person educational event today

Support NY voting rights

Please call your state assembly member and ask that s/he support voting rights reform. If you want a script, try this: “I’m calling to express my full support for statewide voting reforms that would increase voter turnout and make our elections more accessible to more people. And it makes sense for the savings obtained by holding local/state/federal primaries all on one day be used to fund early voting, no-excuse absentee ballots, more accessible/readable ballots and automatic voter registrations at DMV with drivers’ license applications and renewals.” Most of us are represented in the State Assembly by one of the following Reps, but if you’re not sure whose district you’re in, click here and enter your address to find out:

Assembly Member Pamela Hunter: 315-449-9536
Assembly Member Al Stirpe: 315-452-1115
Assembly Member William Magnarelli: 315-428-9651
Assembly Member Gary Finch: 315-255-3045

Learn more about occupational health & safety

From 7-9pm, ArtRage is hosting a talk by Karen Messing, sponsored by the Occupational Health Clinical Centers, on “Invisible Suffering: The Reality of Women’s Health and Safety on the Job.” 505 Hawley Ave. in Syracuse.

Thursday (April 20)

Learn more about Trump’s military budget & foreign policy

UNITE! Resist Trump’s Global Agenda & Protect Our Communities: From 7-9 pm, Phyllis Bennis will be talking about the global effects of Trump’s budget and foreign policy. Hosted by Syracuse Peace Council. Location: Bishop Harrison Center, 1342 Lancaster Ave in Syracuse.

Friday (April 21): Take a day for yourselves and your families!

Saturday (April 22)

From 10am-12pm, it’s time to March for Science at Clinton Square in downtown Syracuse. Organized by New Feminists for Justice and others.

Sunday (April 23)

CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting

From 3-5pm, CNY Solidarity Coalition will meet at All Saints/Bishop Harrison Center, 1342 Lancaster Ave. in Syracuse. The first hour will be devoted to a full-coalition meeting; the second hour to committee meetings.

Door-knocking campaign

The CNY Solidarity Door Knocking Committee is looking for people to join in the canvassing effort from 5-7pm in the University Neighborhood after the coalition meeting. This is a chance to connect with members of our community and encourage more people to get involved in holding our elected officials accountable. You’ll be provided with a brief training before the event and the choice to be paired up with a more experienced canvasser. The training will start at 4pm (when the full-coalition meeting moves to break-out groups), then we’ll fan out to knock on doors and reconvene at Bishop Harrison to hand in materials. Contact (dawnwilsonx@gmail.com) to RSVP or if you have any questions.

So far we’ve knocked almost 400 doors and had 125 full or partial conversations. Here’s a testimonial from last week’s canvass after the meeting at St. Lucy’s: “Canvassing around St. Lucy’s this Sunday was uplifting in terms of both weather and human contact. Of course in some cases doorbells/knocks were not answered, but those who came to the door were predominately welcoming. We encountered people of all races, some who were clearly citizens and some who were immigrants, some who were older and some who were young. A few people did not want to converse, but most who engaged at all were concerned with the direction of the country and were interested in sharing their viewpoints. Our efforts felt well worth making, engendered hope in us, and hopefully enhanced motivation to be involved for the folk with whom we spoke.”

Save the date for these upcoming events:

April 24: Roving University Teach-In on What to Expect in Trump’s America

April 28: Workers Memorial Day 2017–Syracuse

April 29: People’s Climate March—CNY

May 1: Strike – Huelga Primero Mayo

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