Join us for a CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting. All are welcome. Hear from allied organizations about what they are fighting for in the New York State budget and how we can help. Committees will meet after to discuss updates on these issues and more.

The NYS Budget process is nearing its end!  The 2024-25 Budget will be adopted for April 1.

This may be our last chance to impact how New York State supports the health of  Syracuse and local communities.  Come, hear our panelists discuss bills that are in front of the legislature now and will have considerable impact on us.

Panelists include:

• Oceanna Fair, Families for Lead Freedom Now

• Jess Maxwell, CNY Workers’ Center

• And others.

CNY Solidarity Coalition Upcoming Meeting Schedule: Dates and agendas are subject to change.

Note that with Daylight Savings Time, beginning March 10, Meetings will start at 3 PM

March 10  |  March 24

New Yorkers pay taxes on our hard-earned income to fund our communities and the services we all rely on. But because of how our system is structured, millionaires and billionaires don’t pay their fair share. Right now, someone who makes $215,000 pays the same rate as someone who makes $1 million; a New Yorker making $5 million will pay the same tax percentage as someone who makes $25 million; there is no higher tax for billionaires.

The Progressive Income Tax Bill will change that by adding 10 new brackets to New York’s personal income tax structure so that the top 5% of earners pay their fair share. This proposal would raise over $21 billion annually which we could use to invest in housing, fund our schools, raise wages for NY’s childcare workforce and expand access to childcare programs, invest in climate justice & more.

Contact Your NY Senator & Assemblymember

Families for Lead Freedom Now is requesting telephone calls be made to our NYS

legislators in support of the 3 following bills:

• Lead Based Paint Right to Know Act

  • This bill will require the NYS Department of Health to track and address homes that have lead present. Currently, federal law only requires sellers to disclose what they know about lead in paint, which creates a disincentive to investigate. As a matter of social equality and public health, this bill confronts one of the primary avenues for lead exposure without placing an unfair financial burden on any of the parties involved in the sale or purchase of a property. See Flowchart

• Landlord Insurance for Lead-Based Paint

  • Currently, if children are lead poisoned, current law exempts landlord insurance companies from covering any associated costs. The burden of health care costs then becomes the renter or buyer’s responsibility. This bill closes the gap by prohibiting lead exclusion clauses in insurance policies.

• New York State Renovation, Repair and Painting Act

  • NYS has no law requiring lead-safe work practices to protect occupants. DOH research finds up to 40% of lead poisoning cases are caused from lead dust during unsafe home renovations. This legislation would enable the State to administrate federal Renovation, Repair & Painting (RRP) rules and to conduct training, certification, and enforcement of the RRP act.

Talking Points & Contact Info Here

From the CNY Workers’ Center:

The NYS legislature is negotiating the state budget right now! We have just a few days to make our voices heard before the Senate and Assembly comes out with their one-house budget next week (which makes up the final NYS budget in April). Excluded workers can’t wait any longer–we must secure access to the safety net and let legislators know that they must pass the Unemployment Bridge Program! 

• Join our virtual upstate Phone Bank Thursday 3/7 from 2-3PM for a brief training before making calls: Zoom

• Call your own legislators using our automated tool: bit.ly/ExcludedNoMore2024

• You can find phone numbers for our Syracuse Representatives here and sample scripts here. If you make calls on your own, please let us know at wccny@workerscentercny.org!

More than 200 marchers filled Clinton Square around 1 p.m. in the rain. Many had signs and Palestinian flags. A small group had handmade scarves of the Palestinian flag. Others wore the traditional Palestinian scarf called a keffiyeh. The march comes days after an active-duty U.S. military member Aaron Bushnell lit himself on fire outside of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. while shouting “Free Palestine.”

Read on MSN.com (article by Syracuse.com)

If you live in the villages of Baldwinsville, Fabius, Fayetteville, Marcellus, & Minoa make sure you have a plan to vote as village elections are known for low turnout. Polls are only open from 12pm – 9pm except in Fayetteville where polls are open 6am – 9pm. 

Village residents in Baldwinsville (Proposition Two) & Fayetteville (Proposition One) have passed petitions to add a proposition to their ballot to move their future elections to November to increase voter turnout, give residents more time to vote and save taxpayers money. 

Who is running in Village Elections 2024?  |  Learn More about Villages in Onondaga County

(Ithaca) is focused on eliminating gas from buildings because natural gas is mostly methane, a potent greenhouse gas with more climate-warming power than even carbon dioxide when first released. The goal then is to switch buildings to electricity that’s generated mostly from renewable electricity.

Read it on NPR

The locations of microphones used to detect gunshots have been kept hidden from police and the public. A WIRED analysis of leaked coordinates confirms arguments critics have made against the technology.

Read on Wired.com

The debate about whether Supreme Court justices are bound by ethics rules drew attention away from the fact that Clarence Thomas’s conduct violated federal laws.

Read on The Nation

Tuesday, March 5, 10am – 3pm

New York State Capital 

The oil and gas industry is back in New York, with a new scheme to evade New York’s fracking ban by using carbon dioxide instead of of water. We must stop this dangerous plan in its tracks. That’s why we’re rallying in Albany to call for a ban on CO2 fracking, followed by a lobby day to push our legislators to step up and ban this dangerous practice now. We can win a ban on this destructive practice the same way we banned fracking ten years ago – with overwhelming people power, but it’s going to take all of us, working together. Together, the climate movement is more powerful than the oil and gas industry. Join us on March 5th in Albany or make a call to your legislator to support passage of CO2 Fracking Ban Bill S8357/A8866.

Details of Lobby Day 

Tuesday, March 5 @ 11:30am AND Tuesday, March 19 @ 3:30pm

221 S Warren St, Suite 200 Syracuse, NY 13202

Is your landlord refusing to make repairs that are affecting you or a loved one?

Free legal assistance is available!

Call 315-807-0043 for an appt.

Please bring any documents, texts or pictures related to the issue

Tuesday, March 5, 7:30 PM Free Virtual Event

Join Dan Egan, Pulitzer Prize-nominated author of The Devil’s Element: Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance and The Death and Life of the Great Lakes, for a conversation about the role of phosphorus in our daily lives, how it impacts our environment, and its role in shaping agriculture.

Dan Egan … is a senior water policy fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences.  This event is sponsored by the Finger Lakes Land Trust and the Finger Lakes Institute.

Register Here

Wednesday, March 6th 6:30pm

Manlius Town Hall – 301 Brooklea Drive, Fayetteville, NY 13066 See less

Presentation of the NYS Executive Budget Proposal for 2024-25 

What would you like to see in this year’s state budget?

Facebook Event

Thursday, March 7, 6:00 – 7pm 

Syracuse University Art Museum, Shaffer Hall

Guggenheim Fellows Susannah Sayler and Edward Morris discuss how their artwork and others in SU Art Museum’s current Assembly exhibition forge deeper ecological understandings of the places we share. Following the discussion, attendees will be invited to join an interactive activity, mapping connections between artworks in the exhibit and their own personal senses of place. 

Please register in advance! This event is part of Environmental Storytelling CNY https://envirostorycny.com/events, a collaboration between Syracuse University’s Engaged Humanities Network and SUNY ESF’s Writing, Rhetoric and Communications Program.

Thurs, March 7th from 6 to 8pm – City of Syracuse – Lincoln Middle School Cafeteria

Open to the public for both the City and for the Towns of Geddes and Van Buren. The Assemblyman hopes that you will be able to attend and learn about the 2024 State Budget as well as other issues of importance followed by open Q&A after the formal presentation. See you there!

Friday, March 8, 2024, 12-1:30pm on Zoom

Our next Green Bag Lunch will feature an energy packed presentation on the latest from speakers working to nurture CNY’s clean energy landscape. Featured speakers will include:

• Barry Carr, Coalition Director, Clean Communities of CNY, a US Department of Energy Clean Cities Coalition will focus on current and near-term clean transportation opportunities. www.ccofcny.com  

• Lindsay Speer, Senior Energy Planner at the Regional Clean Energy Hub will share updates on EnergySmart CNY’s progress, available resources, and next steps… including what is known about the rollout of the IRA rebates. https://www.allianceforagreeneconomy.org/cny-energy-hub/

• Avni Pravin, Alliance for a Green Economy (AGREE) Deputy Director will speak about current policy issues, activism and strategies. https://www.allianceforagreeneconomy.org/ 

FREE! But you must be registered to attend. A Zoom link will be sent to those registered after registration closes at 11am on Friday, March 8 

Registration Here

Friday, March 8th at 5:30 at Syracuse Community Connections, 401 South Ave

A roundtable discussion on energy affordability and healthy homes hosted by Assemblymember Al Stirpe and Senator Rachel May. This is a family friendly event.

Our panel of experts will be presenting on the problems of high utility bills, indoor air pollution, lead pollution, and some of the policy solutions that can provide much needed relief to many families and seniors in Onondaga County and across the state. We’ll also be highlighting the incredible clean energy career opportunities associated with making these needed improvements to our homes and buildings.

Guest speakers: Laurie Wheelock of Public Utility Law Project, Jessica Azulay of Alliance for a Green Economy, Oceanna Fair of Families for Lead Freedom Now, and Carmi Orenstein of Concerned Health Professionals of New York.

EnergySmart CNY and Public Utility Law Project will be on hand with information about: how to get started on improving your home’s health and affordability, connecting to available incentive programs and grants, and what to do if you have trouble with your utility company or your bills.

We’ll be serving up yummy veggie chili to one and all: come hungry and leave full!

Saturday, March 9th 7:00pm

All Saints Church, 1340 Lancaster Ave, Syracuse

Come celebrate an evening of Irish music featuring Bob Halligan Jr and Irish dancing from Francis Academy of Irish Dance to support the Spiritual Renewal Center! Tickets $25 per person $50 per family 

Tickets

Friday, March 15, 12:05 pm – 1:00 pm On Zoom

Join FOCUS Greater Syracuse, Inc. for a free, virtual FOCUS Forum. The three newest Councilors will explain why they chose to run for office and their top priorities.

An exciting, moderated Q&A session will follow the introductions. This is your chance to engage with these distinguished public servants and ask all the burning questions you may have. Don’t forget we will also be taking questions submitted during registration. 

Panelists: 

Patrona Jones-Rowser, Common Councilor, District 4 

Marty Nave, Common Councilor, District 1

Corey J. Williams, Common Councilor, District 3 

Register Here

PIONEER HOMES – UPSTATE – TAKE OVER

Friday March 15, 5 PM to 7PM

Dr. King Elementary School, 416 East Raynor Ave, Syracuse NY

Please join with the Southside Coalition Citizens for Justice and Equality

As we discuss and plan What’s Next for the residents of Pioneer Homes and Housing.

Listen and ask questions of a panel of local, elected officials, and Community Advocates

Refreshments served.

Please direct all questions and requests for Transportation to Jackie 315-991-4203

March 15, 2024. 6 PM. Parthenon Books, 333 S. Salina St., Syr 13202

Natasha S. Alford in conversation with Iris St. Meran

7 p.m. March 19 at the Clay town offices, 4401 Route 31

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will conduct a study, which will run concurrently with a state-required environmental study already underway. The corps said it “has determined the proposed project may significantly affect the quality of the human environment.” The Army corps can grant or deny the permit Micron would need to build.

A scoping session gives the public a chance to say what environmental impacts should be included in the scope of the study.

Syracuse.com Article Here

Tuesday, March 19, 7:30 pm EST 

The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater, 411 Montgomery St, Syracuse, NY 13202

Hinojosa is simply put… a trailblazer. Her nearly 30-year career as an award-winning journalist includes reporting for PBS, CBS, WNBC, CNN and NPR and anchoring the Emmy Award winning talk show from WGBH Maria Hinojosa: One on One. She is the author of two books and has won dozens of awards including four Emmys. Her new book, Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America, Hinojosa tells the story of immigration in America through her family’s experiences and decades of reporting, painting an unflinching portrait of a country in crisis. She is also a contributor to award-winning news program CBS Sunday Morning and MSNBC.

Purchase Tickets

Wednesday, March 20, 2024•10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Conference Room 2, Underground Concourse at New York State Capitol

263 Madison Ave, Albany, NY 12210 US

Host Contact Info: xaver@nyrenews.org, aurora@nyrenews.org

We’re holding a mass mobilization this March to push for the Climate, Jobs & Justice Package in New York State’s 2024 budget! It’s high time we demonstrate our collective power for a clean energy future where all New Yorkers have access to a secure and healthy environment.

Join us and as we call on Governor Hochul and state legislators to prioritize climate justice in this year’s budget! More information regarding location and day of logistics will be released closer to the mobilization.

Register Here

Friday, March 22 at Marriott Syracuse Downtown 

Join us for a Community Resource Showcase Sponsored by  Jubilee Homes and Community Bank! Come learn about the many local partners and opportunities available in CNY.

Register here: https://bit.ly/3UudZRs

The Central New York Community Foundation’s new President & CEO, Melanie Littlejohn, wants to hear from you! Join us in the conversation surrounding Central New York’s shared future.

Enjoy some light fare and networking with Melanie and fellow community members. Participants may share their insights on the region’s biggest strengths, opportunities and needs, as well as ask pertinent questions.

FREE to attend, but space is limited. Please register for only one of the four event sessions. Two tickets available per registration.

EVENT INFORMATION

• March 26, 2024 – Salt City Market | 3:00-5:00 PM (near capacity)

• April 3, 2024 – Community Folk Art Center | 5:30-7:30 PM

• April 10, 2024 – South Side Innovation Center | 5:00-7:00 PM

• April 18, 2024 – Arts at the Palace (Madison County) | 4:30-6:30 P

Register Here

Syracuse Street Heat is just one, very unencumbered way to work for peace and social justice. We’re part of a decades-long grassroots tradition here, in Ithaca and elsewhere. We stand out and stand up for what we stand for. 

A handful of us stand at busy intersections, for 45 minutes at rush hour, pivoting to the traffic with hand-held signs. We want to get the public thinking about issues often underrepresented in the media. We’re there weekly in almost all of Syracuse’s weather (we seldom cancel). Bring your own sign – or use one of ours. No meetings or committees, so participation time is minimal (yay!) Our Team:  Ann, Dick, Ed, Geoff, Jim, Julienne, Les, Leslie, Peter…. 

To learn more, call Ann: (315) 478 4571.      

1ST TUESDAYS: 4 PM to 4:45 PM at Hancock’s main gate.

EVERY FRIDAY: 4 to 4:45 p.m. – JUSTICE FOR PALESTINE

West sidewalk of the broad intersection of Erie Blvd East & East Genesee St., DeWitt (across from the Fire Dept.) For years our focus has been on solidarity with the people of Palestine.

If temperature is below 20 degrees, we will cancel.

Donate to the CNY Solidarity Coalition

CNY Solidarity Coalition contributes regularly to local progressive organizations: Syracuse Peace Council, National Action Network, & Urban Jobs Coalition. We also make occasional donations as needed to other local groups. We depend on your donations for this. 

Donate Online through PayPal

Mail donations to: 

CNY Solidarity Coalition

P.O. Box 6137, Teall Post Office, 226 Teall Ave., Syracuse NY 13217

Our Committees

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

Indivisible Onondaga County: 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

Elaine Denton

Peter McCarthy

Coordinating Committee

CNY Solidarity Coalition