Troy Record
12/4/11
Andrew Beam
http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2011/12/04/news/doc4edb1d6dcae19921322826.txt?viewmode=fullstory
TROY — There was a sense of urgency when volunteers for Citizen Action of New York came together to knock on the doors of city residents of to spread awareness about the expiration of the Millionaires’ Tax in New York State.
Around 20 people participated in a door-to-door campaign Saturday to encourage residents to contact their state legislators and sign a pledge in support of extending the millionaires’ tax.
“The Assembly and Senate are on alert to potentially come back for special session mid-next week,” said Jessica Wisneski, campaigns director for Citizen Action of New York, adding that Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has been against the tax, might have had a change of heart.
“He has been pretty much opposed to any kind of millionaires’ tax extension up until a few days ago when the media started reporting that he wants to take on a reform of the tax structure in New York. Well, that’s great, we want that too, as long as it’s a progressive tax structure and it produces enough revenue to not create a $5 billion dollar hole in the state’s budget.”
The personal income tax passed in 2009, which includes those who make more than $200,000 a year or families that earn more than $300,000, would generate $5 billion in revenue for the state, according to Wisneski. She added that even a “pure” millionaires’ tax, which would tax individuals making $1 million or more annually, would be fine as long as it produces revenue that would prevent cuts to areas of the budget such as education and human services.
The day started with volunteers going to the Troy Waterfront Farmer’s Market to pick up postcards to hand out to people so they can send them into their legislators. Some even participated in the Joseph’s House and Shelter’s Winter Walk, which happened earlier that morning and then came to Christ Church to meet up with everyone else.
The movement was also charged by a poll that showed over 70 percent of New Yorkers supported the extension of the millionaires’ tax. Mark Emanatian, an activist from Troy who was helping out Citizen Action, said the pain can be seen in Troy.
“23 percent of the people of Troy live below the poverty line,” Emanatian said. “When you see that in North Central Troy, one poorest neighborhoods in New York State, when you see the desperate need people have for services, for jobs… by getting back this money you can hire teachers, teachers’ aides, you can do construction projects… so I think we’ll get a good response.”
Josh Farina and Marty Gawoski, both members of the board for Citizen Action of New York., paired up and began going door-to-door. Some doors, of course, there was no answer but in some instances they would get people who weren’t even on their list but were willing to read the literature they had.
Even with the people who declined to sign the pledge or declined to even read the literature he had in hand, Farina said that it is worth it because even if they don’t support the movement, he was able to get them thinking about it.
“It’s about getting over the apathy because politics is so ugly,” Farina said, “But hopefully that guy will start thinking about it. It’s nice to know people are getting involved in government.”
