by Jessica Wisneski and Rosemary Rivera (originally posted at Medium)
Each day we talk to people struggling to make ends meet even as they work two, sometimes three jobs while trying to raise families. We watch as children are denied the education they deserve, and then fed into a broken and unforgiving justice system. We see more and more people fight to stay in their homes, while a new luxury tower goes up down the street.
Citizen Action of New York cannot sit idly by and give Andrew Cuomo a free pass. We cannot pretend that his failed leadership is enough for us. For organizations that depend on support from the state or the Governor, we understand why they would be afraid to be in his crosshairs. Cuomo has been known to retaliate against those that disagree with him. But Citizen Action and its members will not be cowed into silence.
We want a New York where families can do more than just make ends meet, where they can live to their fullest potential. We want a New York where every community has fresh air to breathe, clean water to drink, and people can visit their doctor without going broke. We want a New York where every child, family, and senior has a warm bed, enough to eat, and a roof over their head. We want a New York where everyone can get a good job that pays a living wage. We want a New York that is the bellwether of democracy, where voting is easy and accessible, and no one’s voice is drowned out by big money.
We are energized by the platforms and message of both Cynthia Nixon and Jumaane Williams. They come with a track record of fighting for working people and the children of our state. We can trust them to speak up when others are silent, to protect the most vulnerable among us, and to fight for Black and Brown communities, low-income communities, and others who have been hurt by Governor Cuomo’s failed policies.
Andrew Cuomo ran on the promise of fair elections and limiting the influence of big money in politics. Under his leadership, the problem has only gotten worse. Wall Street banks and real estate developers exercise more and more influence over Albany, and the Governor has been unwilling to stand up to the powerful interests that fund his campaigns.
New York is one of the wealthiest states in the country?—?and also one of the most unequal. Andrew Cuomo has had numerous chances to balance the scales by making millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share. He has gone in the opposite direction by extending tax breaks to corporations, cutting taxes for the rich, and underfunding our schools, housing, and infrastructure.
Cynthia and Jumaane believe that every New Yorker should be able to participate meaningfully in the democratic process, and that political influence should not be measured by the size of one’s bank account. They want to transform our broken voting and electoral systems and create a vibrant, healthy democracy that gives all of us an equal voice.
Continuing to elect corporately-funded Democrats will not fix our broken systems and uplift struggling communities. Only bold progressive leadership will do that. For these reasons and more, Citizen Action of New York is proud to stand with Cynthia Nixon and Jumaane Williams and push for a brighter and more progressive future for our state.