Name: Charlie Albanetti
Email:
Web Site: http://citizenactionny.org/author/charlie-albanetti
Bio: Charlie Albanetti handles communications for Citizen Action of New York out of the Albany office. His day to day tasks include web and new media content, email blasting, communications strategy, and general public relations. Charlie can be reached at calbanetti@citizenactionny.org or 518.465.4600 x 121.
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- Helen K. Morik, M.P.H. is the Vice President, Government & Community Affairs at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. She has been an active member of Community Board 12 in Manhattan for over 20 years, and is on the board of various community-based organizations. She helps to identify community-wide issues of concern and assists in developing resolutions. Before joining NYP, Helen worked for Congressman Ted Weiss as District Administrator and has been politically active in Manhattan and the Bronx for more than 25 years. She is currently NYS Democratic Committeewoman for the 81st AD and is also former chairperson of the Benjamin Franklin Democratic Club in Riverdale.
- Fáthima Torres has been a resident of Hamilton Heights since 1985. She is a member of Community Board 9 in Manhattan, the Dominican American National Roundtable and the National Dominican Women’s Caucus. Fáthima continuously provides assistance to hundreds of residents in the Hamilton Heights community. She is also the current Vice President of the Barack Obama Democratic Club.
- Molly Michels is the widow of former Councilman Stan Michels and a community activist with long ties to Northern Manhattan. The mother of three children and grandmother of 3 grandchildren, she has lived on Cabrini Blvd in Washington Heights for the past 46 years. Molly has been a New York City School Teacher for 22 years in School District 6. She participated and assisted in practically all aspects of campaigning for her late husband, who served as a Councilman for 24 years representing Northern Manhattan, and her daughter Hon. Shari Michels who was elected as a Civil Court Judge in New York in 2006.
- Yvonne Stennett has dedicated her professional and personal life to the economic development and empowerment of the Washington Heights Community. In 1979 she began organizing youth and after-school programs and numerous community service initiatives in the southern part of Washington Heights. During this period Ms. Stennett led the fight against drugs in her neighborhood. Under her vision and leadership she has developed 52 units of supportive, transitional housing for formerly homeless adults living with mental illness and for youth aging out of foster care.
- Maria Luna is a Democratic District Leader and State Committeewoman and has been active in Democratic Party politics since her arrival to New York City from the Dominican Republic in the 1960s. She has been a pioneer in Latino political empowerment, as well as a tireless advocate for multi-ethnic coalition building. In 1983 she made history, becoming the first Dominican to be elected as District Leader in New York. In 1990 she became the first Latina from New York State to serve on the Democratic National Committee. Maria is a long-serving member of the Audubon Reform Democratic Club.
- Peter Walsh is the co-owner of Coogan’s Restaurant, a Washington Heights landmark. He currently serves as the President of the Washington Heights/Inwood Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Walsh has been the driving force behind the Coogan’s Annual SALSA, BLUES & SHAMROCKS 5K RUN which attracts thousands of runners to Northern Manhattan each year to celebrate the strength and cultural diversity of Northern Manhattan.
- George Espinal is a Public Administration major at John Jay College. Mr. Espinal was elected President of the 34th Precinct Community Council in July 2008 and has transformed a once-dormant council into a vibrant collaboration between the 34th Precinct and the Washington Heights-Inwood community. Congressman Charles Rangel appointed Mr. Espinal to the New York City Department of Youth & Community Development’s Neighborhood Advisory Board #12 in 2009 and he was elected as Assistant Secretary last December. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer appointed Mr. Espinal to Community Board 12 at age 18 in 2006 and he is the current Chair of Community Board 12’s Youth & Education Committee. Mr. Espinal is also the Executive Director for Friends of Payson Avenue and founded the Washington Heights-Inwood Youth Council to provide local teens a forum to address the concerns of young people in Northern Manhattan.
- Marc Andrew Landis is a Partner and member of the Executive Committee at Phillips Nizer LLP, where he maintains a diverse real estate and corporate transactional practice including the acquisition, development and preservation of affordable housing and the representation of cooperative corporations and condominium associations. He was recognized as a “Super Lawyer” for 2009 and 2010. He is also former chairperson of Community Free Democrats and is a Democratic District Leader on the West Side of Manhattan. His current civic and community involvement include the following: Executive Board, Council of New York Cooperatives and Condominiums; Chairperson, New York City Chapter, Citizen Action of New York; Parent-Organizer, Friends of Frank McCourt High School; Chairperson, New York County Democratic Committee; and Member of the Board of Directors, American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists.
- Maria Khury is a business leader in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. Khury Travel has been a family-operated business for over 25 years. In 1995, Khury Travel was awarded the MCI POSITIVAMENTE WINNER in the Travel and Tourism category. This annual award recognizes successful small businesses that are extensively involved in the community and exemplify the model for the development of a small business.
- Rosita Romero is the Executive Director of the Dominican Women’s Development Center. She has combined her passions for gender equality, housing and immigration advocacy into a unique space for Latinas that has been emulated by other women activists. Rosita has placed her efforts in wanting to address the combination of sexism, racism and classism diminishing the lives of women in “The Heights.” Whether fighting for amnesty for undocumented workers, health care and immigrant rights; or lobbying on issues such as domestic violence, reproductive justice and child care, Rosita aims to combine a personal, community-based approach with an understanding of broader political truths.
- Larry Hirsch was elected in 2008 to be the State Committeeman from the 69th Assembly District on Manhattan’s West Side. A lifelong Westsider, Larry has spent the past 25 years working for New York City’s communities. He is a former District Leader, has worked for over a decade in the field of affordable housing and is a member of Community Free Democrats
Washington DC: Thousands DIE While They LIE
March 9th, 2010
Insurance companies are holding a conference in Washington, DC to strategize about killing health care reform. We’ll be meeting them there in protest.
Get on the bus on March 9th to stop the lies, the deceit, and the continued efforts of the insuance companies to protect their profits before protecting people.
When: Tuesday, March 9th
Albany departure: 2:30 am
Binghamton departure: 5:00 am
*If you would like to travel to Binghamton on March 8th, many of our Binghamton members have offered their homes as a place for you to stay. If you are interested in this option, please select the check box at the bottom of the form.
Click here to RSVP!
Syracuse: Children First-No Cuts to Education!
March 4th, 2010Governor Paterson proposed a $1.4 billion cut to schools across New York State! For Syracuse this will mean that our district will lose $11 million, 165 teaching and staff positions and many important programs that our students need for success!
Plan to attend this VERY IMPORTANT rally to STOP these budget cuts that will affect our children’s education! Our children need support of parents, teachers, administrators, clergy, & community members.
There is POWER in PEOPLE!
Thursday, March 4, 2010 @ 6-7:30pm
Edward Smith School
1106 Lancaster Ave, Syracuse, NY
For more information call us at 315.435.2480
Real Financial Reform
March 1st, 2010
As early as this week, Senator Dodd will introduce his new financial reform package in the Senate. But, unlike the bill that passed the House last year that would make an independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency, this bill creates a new bureau within the Department of Treasury. The problem: the same regulators that looked the other way while Wall Street preyed on our pocketbooks will have a veto power over the regulations this bureau creates.
New law protecting credit card users goes into effect
February 23rd, 2010New York Daily News
New York, NY
BY LORE CROGHAN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Banks can no longer jack up interest rates on most customers’ credit card balances, as a federal law protecting millions of consumers took effect Monday.
“Today is a great day for anyone who has a credit card in their wallet,” Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan), an author of the legislation, told reporters.
“The rules . . . end predatory lending practices of credit card companies that seem to have lost all sense of decency in favor of greed and profits at any cost,” added Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), who also helped draft the law.
The legislation, which President Obama signed last spring, is intended to help consumers understand how much their credit cards cost to use.
In the past, credit card companies were largely permitted to hike interest rates at their discretion, even if cardholder payments were current.
“For too long, credit card companies have gouged consumers with deceptive and unfair interest rate charges and fees,” said Chuck Bell of the Consumers Union.
“These new rules will put an end to some of the most abusive credit card lending practices that have trapped millions of Americans in debt, and made it harder for them to make ends meet,” Bell said.
Retroactive rate hikes and late-payment penalties cost U.S. consumers at least $10 billion per year, according to a study by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
The new regulations have limitations, consumer advocates warned. “This law is a first step,” said Therese Revesz of Citizen Action of New York.
Banks are still allowed to hike rates on the existing balances of customers who make payments more than 60 days late – and raise rates for future purchases with 45 days’ notice.
Also, card issuers can impose whatever fees they want, and can raise monthly minimums sharply. Some fear there will be a host of new or higher fees in order to make up for lost revenue.
As card issuers have tried to cut exposure to various risks, the number of Visa, MasterCard and American Express cards in circulation dropped 15% in 2009, according to the Associated Press.
Revesz hopes Congress will pass pending legislation to create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, which would police the credit card companies.
Need money? Tax the rich
February 22nd, 2010Capitol Confidential, Times Union
Albany, NY
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/22815/need-money-tax-the-rich/
By Rick Karlin
That’s one of the not-unexpected suggestions out today from a consortium of groups including the labor-backed Fiscal Policy Institute, the state teachers union, non-profits, health care organizations and school funding groups, known as the Better Choice Budget Campaign, that have put out a list of potential revenue raisers for lawmakers and the governor to consider.
The tax hike suggestion would be an additional 1 percent for filers with incomes over $1 million and it would last for two years, bringing in $1 billion, according to the group’s calculations. They also want to tax stock transfers which are currently taxed but the money is rebated.
The income tax is interesting in that lawmakers as well as Gov. Paterson have insisted that they won’t raise taxes to balance the budget, which is predicted to run $8.2 billion through the 2010-11 fiscal year. But one has to wonder: if there are enough suggestions for an income tax hike, could that serve as political cover for lawmakers to go ahead and raise that tax?
Below are the suggestions, with a press release on the next page.
(Albany, N.Y.) Members of the Better Choice Budget Campaign joined together today to urge the Governor and the Legislature to explore alternatives to state budget cuts that would further erode jobs and desperately needed services. The group, a diverse coalition of statewide and local labor, faith-based, human service, non-profit and environmental organizations, released an extensive list of revenue-raising and cost-saving options that can help New York State achieve a balanced budget without destroying vital programs and services.
The coalition also called upon Wall Street and the federal government to help in balancing this year’s state budget in ways that help to preserve the services needed for Main Street to prosper.
With at least 48 states experiencing major budget shortfalls, the Campaign supports the President’s call for an extension of the fiscal relief that the federal government provided to the states last year. In December, the United States House of Representatives passed extensions of the stimulus bill’s Medicaid and education relief; and, similar proposals are now being considered by the United States Senate. Since the states have to balance their budgets in good times and bad, it makes sense for the federal government to help the states to balance their budgets during recessions. This reduces the amount of economically harmful spending cuts that the states have to make during bad times.
“The key is to have the phase-out of the federal government’s ‘state fiscal relief’ dovetail, as closely as possible, with the recovery of the state governments’ finances,” added Frank Mauro, Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, who pointed out that state governments’ fiscal recoveries have historically lagged their economic recoveries.
One of the Better Choice Budget Campaign’s recommendations involves a little known but very costly rebate system involving the taxation of stock transactions on Wall Street. New York State currently collects a minimal tax on stock transactions; but that tax is then instantly rebated right back to Wall Street in the amount of $16 billion per year. If New York State were to temporarily rebate 80 percent of this tax, rather than 100 percent, fully $3.2 billion a year would be raised in sorely-needed state revenues.
“Just a month after Wall Street handed out hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses, New York’s schools and colleges are again facing devastating cuts,” said Stephen Allinger, Director of Legislation for New York State United Teachers. “School districts, which slashed more than 5,000 positions last year, are already cutting even deeper this year, eliminating programs, mailing out layoff notices and, in some communities, are talking about closing schools. Rather than undermine all the years of progress we’ve made toward improving education and ending the achievement gap, we’re asking lawmakers to curtail tax giveaways that fund excess profits on Wall Street and use this new revenue to save jobs and fund important education programs.”
Mayor Bloomberg’s January Financial Plan for 2010-14 estimates that 2009 Wall Street profits were a record $58 billion, nearly three times the previous record that was posted in 2006.
“Main Street is suffering and could use a returned helping hand from Wall Street,” stated Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness. “It was not long ago that Main Street bailed out Wall Street – delivering a miraculous recovery that includes record profits and large bonuses. Wall Street has a vested interest in a healthy New York State economy and a temporary reduction in their generous rebate would not be too much to ask.”
“In this crushing recession, families’ needs are rising and the resources to meet them are falling,” said Karen Scharff, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York. “The Legislature should respond by passing a budget that makes Main Street their top priority: a budget that grows the economy by investing in working families, schools and communities across the state, rather than a budget with cuts in education, health care and human services that will worsen unemployment and further destroy the safety net.”
“Governor Paterson slashed all environmental funding in his Executive Budget Proposal without considering the consequences, which are serious. In the final state budget, New York’s leaders and lawmakers must make better and more responsible choices about using taxpayer dollars in order to protect New Yorkers and our air, land and water,” said Rob Moore, Executive Director, Environmental Advocates of New York.
“Thanks to the Great Recession, the demand for civil legal assistance – people needing help with foreclosure, unemployment insurance and other employment issues, orders of protection, and other critical issues impacting economic stability – has increased dramatically, but funding to respond to demand has not,” said Kristin Brown Lilley, Director of Legislative Advocacy for Empire Justice Center. “The Governor’s budget eliminates all $13 million included in last year’s budget for civil legal services, leaving only a proposed $15 million stop gap appropriation in the Judiciary Budget that is intended to help mitigate an anticipated 70% funding reduction in the main state level funding source for civil legal services, the IOLA Fund. We call on the Governor and the Legislature to address the state’s fiscal problems by actively embracing progressive revenue raising and cost savings options, rather than cutting or eliminating funding for civil legal and other essential human services at the very moment struggling New Yorkers need them most.”
“We all understand the need for sacrifice and the demands of this economy – but such circumstances also require careful budgeting and sound policy choices,” stated Shelly Nortz, Deputy Executive Director for Policy with Coalition for the Homeless. “The elimination of $104 million in appropriations for shelters, services and housing for the homeless in this budget proposal is the most irresponsible action I have seen here in my 22 years of representing the needs of homeless people. Assuming, for example, that homeless men and women have $36 million in their pockets available to make up for state cuts to shelter operations is patently absurd. We need a realistic budget based on real dollars and sensible policies, not phantom gap closers.”
The campaign suggests that rather than slashing education, health care and the other vital services that New York families depend on, the Governor and the Legislature should make a better choice: a balanced approach that uses existing resources efficiently and raises additional revenues in ways that will not harm our state’s already fragile economy. This is not the time for actions that will hinder the growth of New York’s economy or hurt the children and families hit hardest by the economic downturn.
The groups believe that a balanced response to the 2010-2011 budget shortfall should include:
· Closing loopholes that allow large, profitable corporations to avoid paying their fair share of state taxes.
· Reducing the amount of state work that is contracted out to high-priced, for-profit consultants who are being overpaid to do work that state workers can do better for less.
· Lowering prescription drug prices for state and local governments and New York consumers by using New York’s purchasing power to negotiate fair deals with the drug companies.
· Making economic development/tax credit programs like Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs) and the Brownfield Clean-Up Program more effective and accountable and allowing the Empire Zones Program to expire.
· Temporarily reducing the Stock Transfer Tax Rebate from 100% to 80% so the finance sector helps the state through the current economic downturn which was caused in part by the excesses of many Wall Street firms.
· Curtailing growing obesity rates in NY children by adding a 1 cent per ounce tax on sugary beverages.
· Ensuring that Reservation sales of cigarettes to non-Native Americans are properly taxed (by collecting those taxes before the products reach the reservations while still providing Native Americans with tax-free cigarettes).
· Using the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund (TSRF) to cover the Governor’s anticipated gap in this year’s budget rather than rolling it over to 2010-11. The TSRF is specifically for such end-of-year shortfalls.
· Helping the environment by instituting a minimal plastic bag tax to reduce the use of 6.3 billion bags in New York State each year.
“Educated New Yorkers, affordable health care and housing, vital state services, a strong safety net, preserving the environment and a sound transportation infrastructure are all essential for a healthy state economy, today and in the future,” said Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness.
Latest potential domino: Cuomo, Schneiderman, Espaillat
February 22nd, 2010Capitol Confidential, Times Union
Albany, NY
By Rick Karlin
Maybe dominoes isn’t the best metaphor, it’s more like churn, or the ongoing movement of ambitious politicians seeking ever-higher office which in turn creates openings for others along the political food chain.
With Andrew Cuomo expected to run for governor, there’s a growing list of those who would in turn run for his Attorney General’s job. On that list is 31st District Sen. Eric Schneiderman who like others has been trying to bulk up his campaign war chest although he doesn’t appear to have as much cash as some other AG aspirants.
Either way, the prospect of a Schneiderman AG run turn has prompted Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat to look at a run for the senate seat.
Being of Dominican descent, Espaillat would presumably be off to a good start in the district which includes a lot of voters with ties to the Dominican Republic.
Here’s the announcement about Espaillat’s exploratory committee:
As you may know, New York State Senator Eric Schneiderman is currently considering running for statewide political office. In the event that Senator Schneiderman decides to run for statewide office, I will strongly consider running to replace him in the New York State Senate. I have recently put together an Exploratory Committee to assist me in this endeavor.
The Exploratory Committee is comprised of a dynamic team of community leaders that are truly representative of the diversity of the 31st Senate District. I am confident that they have the experience and capacity to advise me on a course of action that will ultimately create the greatest benefit for the people of the 31st District.
They are:
Prisoners of the Census
February 4th, 2010Metroland
Albany, NY
http://metroland.net/newsfront.html#5
State Sen. Neil Breslin supports the downstate effort to change the state’s system of counting the incarcerated
In anticipation of this year’s census, advocates in New York state are adamant in their efforts to mend what they call the state’s flawed system of counting prisoners where they are jailed, instead of where they resided prior to—and, presumably, where they will return after—incarceration.
Last week, the coalition was joined by Sen. Eric T. Schneiderman (D-Manhattan) and Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) to announce the introduction of a bill to end the state’s current practice of prison-based gerrymandering. A press conference was held Monday to include the support of Sens. Antoine Thompson (D-Buffalo) and Neil Breslin (D-Albany).
According to Breslin, New York state has built 43 new prisons since 1976—all of which are upstate. Sixty-six percent of prisoners in these facilities come from New York City, while 34 percent are originally from upstate urban areas, such as Albany, Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo. Currently, most of these prisoners are represented as residents of the counties in which they are incarcerated at the time the census is taken.
The current way in which the census operates gives many small upstate towns a false sense of their own population and power, thus inflating the remaining residents’ votes and diluting those belonging to more urban areas, where large prisons are not typically found, critics of the system complain. This misrepresentation infringes on the democratic concept of “one man, one vote.”
Breslin said that he is supporting this legislation to amend the way the census is taken, because “to do it any other way would be unfair and unequal.”
The coalition in favor of the legislation is led by Citizen Action of New York and includes the Prison Policy Initiative, two organizations that have been actively advocating for the state to put a halt to its practice of prison-based gerrymandering.
“This bill would require states and counties to draw fair districts,” said Peter Wagner, executive director of the Prison Policy Initiative. Since districts are drawn based on Census data, “the way it is now, they ended up drawing districts where some people have considerably more say than others.”
According to Wagner, Schneiderman has been trying to pass a similar bill for about 10 years, with no success. The reason for this, he believes, is a misconception among legislators.
“There is a perception in some upstate communities that this bill would affect federal funding,” said Wagner. “It wouldn’t—that’s just simply wrong. All this bill would do is change how data is used in New York state. People think the bill is going to change what the Census Bureau does, which it’s not. It’s too late for that.”
“This has nothing to do with the way the census operates,” said Charlie Albanetti, spokesman for Citizen Action. “There are virtually no financial implications for any community in the state whatsoever. This legislation is about restoring fairness and democracy.”
Counties are able to use their own discretion in choosing how to determine their population, according to Albanetti. “But using prison populations completely distorts the representations within their own legislatures.”
Upon being released from correctional facilities, “those prisoners are not going to stay in those farm communities,” said Breslin, “they’re going to go back to where they live.”
Thirteen New York counties already have excluded the prisoner population as part of their census count. After the 2000 census determined that incarcerated individuals represent more than five percent of Essex County’s population, the Board of Supervisors enacted a local reapportionment law with the justification: “Prisoners incarcerated in state and federal correctional institutions live in a separate environment, do not participate in the life of Essex County and do not affect the social and economic character of the towns.”
According to Wagner, there are seven counties in New York that would not meet their minimum population requirement if it were not for the prisons located within them. The passing of this bill would require the redrawing of county lines, in order to have an equal representation throughout the state.
Legislators and advocates hope to get this bill passed before the 2010 census is taken.
“We’re right up to the wire and people are really starting to pay attention,” said Wagner. “We’re really excited about all this activity, but this is just about the last moment we have.”
One Person, One Vote
February 3rd, 2010The principle of ‘one person, one vote,’ is a sacred component of our democracy in the United States. But, here in New York, when it comes to counting people in prison, representation is anything but equal.
Last Thursday (January 28th), we kicked-off a new campaign to end prison-based gerrymandering, the undemocratic system for using people in prison to inflate population counts.
At the campaign kick-off, Rev. Al Sharpton said that this is “the voter rights and civil rights issue of the year in the state of New York.”
Here’s the problem: right now, the US Census Bureau counts people in prison as being residents of the area in which they are incarcerated.
While New York’s constitution (Article II §4) states that incarceration will not change a person’s residence, the State still uses the Census numbers for the purposes of drawing legislative district lines, effectively denying fair representation to the communities where most people in prison come from: specifically urban areas and communities of color.
That’s why we’re working with a coalition of organizations from across the State of New York to pass legislation to end this practice. The legislation, sponsored by Senator Eric Schneiderman in the Senate and Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries in the Assembly, will use Department of Correctional Services data to amend the Census population counts used for redistricting. Because the legislation doesn’t change how the Census actually counts people, and instead changes how the Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment uses Census data to draw district lines, this won’t affect any state or federal funding for any community that is tied to Census data. It will, however, correct the decades old injustice of giving certain communities more representative power at the expense of others.
13 upstate counties that have large prison populations have already rejected the Census counts when it comes to county-level redistricting. Essex County didn’t use the Census counts when they drew districts for their Board of Supervisors. They gave this explanation:
“Persons incarcerated in state and federal correctional institutions live in a separate environment, do not participate in the life of Essex County and do not affect the social and economic character of the towns… The inclusion of these federal and state correctional facility inmates unfairly dilutes the votes or voting weight of persons residing in other towns within Essex County…”
On Monday (February 1st), we held a press conference in the Capitol in Albany to announce new support for the bill from upstate legislations Senators Antoine Thompson and Neil Breslin and Assemblyman Jack McEneny.
With the 2010 Census already underway, and New York’s redistricting process just around the corner in 2012, now is our chance to finally end the distorted system of representation in New York and restore the fundamental principle of ‘one person, one vote.’
Coalition to End Prison-Based Gerrymandering Comes to Albany to say, “It’s About Upstate Too!”
February 1st, 2010For Immediate Release: February 1, 2010
Coalition to End Prison-Based Gerrymandering Comes to Albany to say, “It’s About Upstate Too!”
Senator Eric. T. Schneiderman and Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries Introduce New Bill to Change How New York Uses Census Counts for People in Prison
Coalition Announces Support of Upstate Legislators: Senators Neil Breslin and Antoine Thompson
New York, NY – A new coalition of community groups and advocates from across New York State came to Albany today to advocate for new legislation to end the undemocratic system of prison-based gerrymandering. At the Capitol this afternoon, the coalition stood with Senators Neil Breslin and Antoine Thompson as they announced their support for the bill that was introduced earlier today.
The legislation will require New York State to count people in prison as residents of their home communities for the purpose of legislative redistricting, rather than as residents of the districts in which they are incarcerated. The current system for counting people in prison drastically inflates populations in some communities, thereby making their votes worth more than the votes of other citizens throughout the state.
Under New York State law, counties are given the discretion to choose the population base used for county-level legislative redistricting. Currently, most of New York’s counties with large prisons reject the system of prison-based gerrymandering. Thirteen New York counties correct the Census count, removing the prison population before redistricting to avoid vote dilution in their districts.
Because the legislation only changes the way New York State uses Census data for the purpose of redistricting, it will have no impact on any funding related to Census data.
“Equal representation under the law benefits everyone,” said Senator Eric T. Schneiderman, the lead sponsor of the bill to end prison-based gerrymandering. “The practice of counting people where they are incarcerated undermines the fundamental principle of ‘one person, one vote’ – it’s undemocratic and reflects a broken system that impacts communities across the state. The time to act is now.”
Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, the prime sponsor of the legislation in the Assembly, said, “Prison-based gerrymandering fosters an environment where certain communities actually benefit from the criminalization of other communities that are predominantly urban and low-income throughout the state of New York. The system is unfair, undemocratic and unconstitutional, and we will not rest until the process is changed.”
Senator Neil Breslin said, “It’s time that we end the distortion among upstate districts by restoring democracy to the way we count people in prison for redistricting. Communities all across New York have suffered with less representation than other communities for long enough.”
“I’m happy to announce my support for this legislation because the people of my district, and people from districts all over New York need to know that their representation in the legislature is equal among every New Yorker,” said Senator Antoine Thompson. “People in prison should be counted in the communities where they come from, and are most likely to return if those communities are to be represented fairly.”
“Citizen Action joined this coalition because it’s a vital issue to our members in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, the Capital District and on Long Island,” said Karen Scharff, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York. “In fact, nearly 34% of all incarcerated individuals come from these communities.”
“We applaud State Senator Eric Schneiderman and Assembly Member Hakeem Jeffries for their leadership in getting incarcerated persons counted as residents of their home communities, as directed by the state constitution,” said Steven Carbo, Senior Program Director at Demos. “We will continue to rob those neighborhoods of population-based political power if we exclude people in prison from their census count.”
“We count and our loved ones in prison should count too,” said Alison Coleman, Executive Director of Prison Families of New York, Inc. “Because prison reentry and successful family reunification are so important, its crucial that the communities where we live have fair representation in the legislature.”
The coalition includes these organizations: Citizen Action of New York, the Prison Policy Initiative, New York Civil Liberties Union, Demos, Common Cause/NY, the Brennan Center for Justice, Fortune Society, Bronx Defenders, Praxis Project, Correctional Association of New York, Community Service Society, New York City AIDS Housing Network (NYCAHN), Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Center for Law & Social Justice, Nu Leadership Policy Group, Prison Families of New York, Exponents, Prison Action Network, Public Policy and Education Fund of New York, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Reducing Recidivism, Western New York Reentry, Back To Basics Outreach Ministries, Community Voices Heard, Prisoners Are People Too and Center for Community Alternatives.
For more information, visit http://prisonersofthecensus.org/nycounties/
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No Representation Without Population
January 29th, 2010
Sign the Petition!
The U.S. Census Bureau counts incarcerated people as residents of their place of confinement, rather than as residents of their home communities. These false population counts are then used to draw state and local legislative districts. The result is that the political power of our communities is diluted. Prison-based gerrymandering is not just unfair; it also violates the New York State Constitution.
