One of the Dirtier Tricks From This Primary Season: Fake Mailer Using Howie Hawkins' Name and Likeness ALBANY--The Green Party of New York (GPNY) called on Gov. Cuomo and the state legislature to make immediate changes to New York election law to ban Opportunity-To-Ballot (OTB) petitions and primary elections. Green Party officers stated that OTB has been used by Democrats and Republicans to attempt to hijack the Green ballot line across the state this year. Green Party members have reported people who registered as Greens specifically to sign OTB petitions for Democratic and Republican candidates. Greens also mentioned the OTB law violates the spirit of closed primaries that are the law in New York State. Continue reading

Albany --- At a time of federal attacks on healthcare funding, New York legislators should take action to protect and expand healthcare access by sponsoring and voting on New York Health this session. The Green Party of New York wholeheartedly endorses the New York Health Act (A. 4738/S.4840) which would guarantee healthcare for all New Yorkers and calls on the Legislature and Governor to make the bill into a law immediately. Party officers pointed out the just-introduced Republican AHCA would have significant negative impacts on coverage for New Yorkers and health care cost for state government, and that Gov. Cuomo’s budget proposal has no plan to deal with changes to the ACA. The New York Health Act would solve these problems, cover all New Yorkers and lower costs.  Continue reading

Albany, NY -- The Green Party of New York said today that the bill passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Cuomo yesterday was a betrayal of democracy and environmental stewardship. Party officers stated that the law, which essentially bans local legislation on the 5-cent fee, shows how deeply in the pockets of lobbyists the Legislature and the Governor are, and that the need for home rule on issues like these has never been greater. The Greens – part of the coalition to pass the legislation in NYC – also said that plastic bag fees work and that the arguments made by State Senator Simcha Felder and his cosponsors were disingenuous to the public and their actions harmful to the environment. Green officers said that if the Legislature and Governor were truly concerned about the costs of the fee, they would move quickly to ban plastic bags entirely as California and Hawaii have done. Continue reading