Over the weekend, the New York State Senate and Assembly released their one-house budget proposals. In response to these proposals, we’ve released a coalition statement, which you can read below:
The Senate and Assembly’s one-house budgets do not go far enough, and do not move fast enough, to either decrease climate pollution or protect our communities—especially Black, Brown, Indigenous, and low-income communities on the front lines—from stronger storms, increased flooding, and devastating heat waves inflicted by the climate crisis. Though there are particular proposals in each budget that NY Renews supports, overall these budgets fail to invest in climate solutions at the scale needed to support a just transition.
Before the budget is finalized, the Legislature and Governor must create a long-term funding mechanism to ensure annual and dependable investments in climate justice. Anything less means New Yorkers will continue to pay the price with our culture, land, and lives.
While there are true wins in the budget—wins that wouldn’t be in there without all of your organizing—the budgets fall far short of providing the level of investment needed to ensure a just transition for our state. We will have more in-depth analysis soon, but in the meantime, this one-click tool will allow you and your members to call New York State leadership to demand an immediate and unprecedented commitment to climate justice funding.
Over the next two weeks, we must put pressure on our leaders to show them that climate justice funding isn’t simply an item on a wish-list, but a deep, vital need shared by New Yorkers statewide.
Let’s make our state leaders’ phones ring right off the hook. Share our call tool with your members today.
With power,
Marie Scarles (she/her)
Digital Organizer, NY Renews