Duncan Puts Forth 25 Green Party Challenges for Spitzer in 2007

Green Party of New York State
www.gpnys.org

Alison Duncan for Lieutenant Governor
http://www.alisonduncan.org

December 29, 2006

NEW YORK, NY - Alison Duncan, the Green Party of New York State's 2006 candidate for Lieutenant Governor, put forth 25 Green Party challenges today for Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer in his first year in office.

"This year 42,166 New Yorkers chose a Green Party Governor and Lieutenant Governor," said Duncan. "Over 250,000 votes were cast for Green Party candidates in New York. Sustainability is a core value of the Green Party and these challenges encompass environmental, educational, healthcare, economic and political goals that will build a sustainable future for New York State. I congratulate Governor Spitzer on his new office with the hope that he will listen to these voters through the next four years and take our challenges seriously."

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25 Green Party Challenges for Spitzer:

I. War in Iraq: 

-- bring New York State's National Guard troops home as soon as possible by using his veto power

II. Civil Rights:
-- marry same-sex couples at the Empire State Plaza by the end of 2007
-- repeal the New York State version of the PATRIOT Act that he drafted with Pataki, which rescinded constitutional due process and probable cause protections

III. Health Care:
-- actively promote the Legislative Commission on Health Care Coverage Act of 2005 (A.6575) sponsored by Assembly Member Richard Gottfried as a first step toward implementing universal, single-payer health care
-- increase funding for public health research and programming with an emphasis on prevention, especially prevention of blood-borne diseases such as AIDS
-- keep hospitals open that have been targeted by Pataki's hospital closure commission

IV. Education:
-- immediately follow through on his promise to invest $4 to $6 billion in New York City's schools, commit to investing $8.5 billion statewide, and commit an additional 500 million yearly to fund after-school programs in every district

V. Energy Policy:
-- increase the percentage of electricity produced with renewable energy sources (not nuclear) to 25% in the first year, with a goal of 40% by the end of his term
-- promote energy conservation and research to create 25,000 new jobs for each year of his term

VI. Criminal Justice Reform:
-- submit a bill to the NYS legislature to restore sentencing control to judges 
-- no mandatory minimums and use of alternative sentencing with a focus on restorative justice to prevent recidivism 
-- submit a bill to the NYS legislature to legalize marijuana and repeal the Rockefeller Drug Laws

VII. Death Penalty:
-- advocate against the death penalty and refuse to sign any bill to reinstate it
-- commit $40 million per year for the permanent funding of legal services programs

VIII. Housing:
-- build 250,000 units of affordable housing each year of his term
-- the criteria "affordable" being that all New Yorkers are able to find housing near their work for no more than 30% of their family income
-- repeal the Urstadt Law that bars New York City from adopting rent limitations and tenant protections that are more restrictive than those allowed by the state

IX. Agriculture:
-- submit a bill for labeling laws that identify food by origin (defining "family farm," "small farm), and whether genetically engineered
-- submit a bill to require every public school cafeteria to serve locally grown food
-- with a priority on small, organic farms

X. Labor:
-- repeal the Taylor Law to give public unions negotiating tools that are as powerful as management's while protecting public safety
-- give union organizers full access to organize workfare workers and prisoners in New York State

XI. Electoral Reform:
-- promote conversion to hand-counted paper ballots
-- institute instant runoff voting by actively promoting A03509 and A03510 sponsored by Assembly Member Fred Thiele to establish an instant runoff voting method for certain primary and local elections

XII. Multiparty Democracy:
-- introduce legislation to more fairly define ballot status of political parties by either enrollment or the vote totals of any statewide or federal office
-- introduce clean election legislation that doesn't penalize third parties
-- introduce legislation to provide for proportional representation of political parties on the county and state boards of elections

XIII. Public Authorities:
-- spearhead a public review of public authorities including their mandates, governing structures and budgets; and implement a comprehensive reform with a focus on transparency and accountability