Governor’s budget proposal lacks the courage to take on billionaire greed

by | Jan 21, 2020 | Press Releases, Uncategorized | 3 comments

Albany, NY – In response to Governor Cuomo’s 2020 state budget announcement, Jessica Wisneski, Co-Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York issued the following statement:

“Here’s the headline from Governor Cuomo’s budget proposal: Cuomo again vows to protect 112 billionaire friends who have a combined net worth three times the size of our entire state budget, regardless of the crisis our state is in!

“While Cuomo allows these billionaires to write the rules so they pay lower income tax rates than a school teacher, the number of people experiencing homelessness is skyrocketing, our schools go underfunded and infrastructure crumbles. With every budget, he’s making a choice not to tax this small number of super-wealthy and powerful billionaires who control a huge part of our economy. He’s repeating the same budgets year after year that cut and stagnate programs, exacerbating the ongoing crisis New Yorkers face – these are families who are stuck struggling to get by day to day. He does this instead of demanding that the super rich pay what they owe to invest in our communities. 

“What he should cut instead is through the “progressive” spin of his budget presentation and look at what New Yorkers who can’t afford attending a $25,000 per plate fundraiser are actually experiencing.”