17th Annual People’s State of the State Rally Calls for Universal Health Care, Help with Fuel Bills, Corporate Accountability

More than fifty anti-poverty advocates braved stormy weather today at the State Capitol to urge action on skyrocketing heating bills, lack of access to affordable quality health care, and high housing costs. The only way to provide universal coverage in a simple, efficient, and cost-effective manner is to institute in New York State an expanded system of Medicare for All.

More than fifty anti-poverty advocates braved stormy weather today at the State Capitol to  urge action on skyrocketing heating bills, lack of access to affordable quality health care, and high housing costs.

 

The groups,also said the food lines at food pantries and soup kitchens remain at historically high levels and expect the situation to worsen following federal budget cuts and changes in the federal TANF program.

 

Speakers at the 17th annual People’s State of the State included: Dr. Paul Sorum of the Physicians for a National Health Program; Linda Schuyler of Food Pantries for the Capital District; Trudi Renwick of the Fiscal Policy Institute; Mark Dunlea of Hunger Action Network; Roger Markovics of United Tenants; Fred Pfeiffer, Capital District Worker Center; Demi McGuire of the Episcopal Public Policy Network; Michael Kink of Housing Works; and folksinger Joe Lombardo.

 

“Low income families in
New York cannot afford to pay the increased cost of heating their homes this winter,” stated Trudi Renwick, senior economist at the Fiscal Policy Institute. “If the federal government does not act to increase funds available through the Home Energy Assistance Program, the legislature should move quickly to establish a state supplement for the program.  Last September, the Governor and the Senate suggested a $25 million state supplement.  This does not even begin to provide the kind of assistance needed by low-income New Yorkers this winter.  I estimate that low-income New Yorkers will need at least an additional $291 million in HEAP benefits to confront the skyrocketing energy costs this winter.“

 

Advocates are also urging an increase in home heating fuel allowance and the public assistance grant.

 

“The people of
New York State have relied on charities, faith communities, food pantries and soup kitchens to care for the poor in our neighborhoods for too long. It is time for us to demand change, to say that hunger is an abomination not to be accepted. IF we look back in time 25 years year, a few of our local churches were beginning closet pantries. Today we have 43 food pantries and 22 soup kitchens in Albany and southern
Rensselaer County alone, serving more than 2 million meals each year. Programs do not have the resources to do what they are being asked to do,” noted Lynda Schuyler, Director of the Food Pantries of the Capitol District.

Anti-hunger advocates are seeking an increase in state funding for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program from $22.8 million to $30 million. State funding is down $2 million from four years ago. Groups are also concerned about Congress’ elimination of all funding for the Community Food Nutrition Program, the main federal funding for anti-hunger organizations. The loss of CFNP will have a devastating impact upon anti-hunger organizations in NY and nationwide, particularly statewide advocacy groups.

"New Yorkers face a growing crisis in health care.  Health insurance premiums are inexorably rising; businesses are struggling under, and increasingly shedding, the burden of providing health insurance for present and past employees; health providers and patients are drowning in the flood of red tape and regulations issued by the multiplicity of health insurers; physicians are plagued by often frivolous malpractice charges and rising malpractice insurance costs; and an increasing number of New Yorkers have no or inadequate health insurance,” stated Dr. Paul Sorum, chair of the Capital District Chapter of the Physicians for a National Health Program.

 

“It is time for Governor Pataki and the legislature to listen to the pleas for help coming from all sides and to make high quality and affordable health care services available to all
New York residents.  It is time for them to realize that the only way to provide universal coverage in a simple, efficient, and cost-effective manner is to institute in
New York State an expanded system of Medicare for All.  Then physicians will be able to devote their time and energy to taking care of their patients, not their patients' insurance companies or their malpractice attorneys,” added Sorum.

 

The Empire State Economic Security Campaign (ES2) endorses a single payer universal health program such as the New York Health program (A6576) sponsored by Assembly Health Committee chair Richard Gottfried. It also endorses the proposal to create a Legislative Commission on Health Care Coverage (A6575) to do cost-benefit analyses of all the various ways that state could provide quality, affordable health care for all. The groups are also urging the establishment of a comprehensive bulk purchasing program for prescription drugs.

 

“We need tax reform in
New York State. Low and moderate income New Yorkers pay a much higher percentage of their income in state and local taxes than the wealthy. But rather than giving yet even more tax breaks to the wealthy and large corporations, lawmakers need to close tax loopholes that allow the rich and multistate companies to evade paying their fair share of the taxes. One small but important step is to copy what Ronald Reagan did at the federal level and require large companies to disclose how much taxes they pay in
New York. Then we will really find out who is paying too much and who isn’t paying enough,” said Mark Dunlea, Associate Director of the Hunger Action Network.

 

Hunger Action Network supports increasing accountability for the state’s multibillion economic development programs that gives tax breaks, subsidies and other handouts to businesses in the name of job creation. A key is the law governing local Industrial Development Agencies, which is set to expire in a few months. A coalition of labor, consumer and environmental groups are pushing for strong job performance and reporting requirements, with companies being required to pay back a proportionate share of their welfare package if they fail to meet the agreed upon job standards.

 

Hunger Action is urging increased access to education and training programs for low-income New Yorkers, particularly in light of the expanded work participation requirements for welfare (TANF) included in the recent federal budget bills. It is also calling for a series of job creation efforts targeted to low-income individuals.

 

The ES2 campaign is supporting a $1 billion bond to raise funds to support subsidized housing in
New York State. Many working families are unable to afford housing, often paying 50 to 70% of their income for rent or mortgages. The Affordable Housing Trust program would also help create jobs in the construction industry.