Politics on the Hudson

Following its annual caucus weekend, the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian caucus is releasing its “People’s Budget,” which offers “alternative remedies to various perpetual issues in our communities,” according to a release from Assemblyman Karim Camara, D-Brooklyn. It proposes changes in budgeting for education, health and aging, family welfare and public assistance, aid to municipalities, women’s issues, workforce initiatives and other areas.

“With continuing economic uncertainty such as unemployment, property foreclosures, health care costs and education spending, we must work together to solve the enormous gaps in services for New York State residents through the fair and equitable distribution of State resources,” Camara said.

Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes, D-Buffalo, said in a message in the “People’s Budget” that Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s budget has presented members of the caucus with some “unique challenges.

“Chiefly, the challenge as to how best to respond to the after effects of the Great Recession of 2008-09 and the consequences of severe budget cuts implemented over the last two budget rounds totaling about $13.5 billion,” she said. “These cuts have had a dramatic impact upon services in many of our communities here in New York and now again we must confront head on yet another austere budget.”

The budget said the group supports a more “progressive” tax code. “New York could raise needed revenue and restore fairness to the tax code by reforming our state corporate tax structure and closing a variety of corporate tax loopholes to make sure small business and big business play by the same rules, and that higher profits are taxed at reasonably higher rates,” it states.

This is the “People’s Budget”:

The People’s Budget