For immediate release: June 20, 2018

Notice of News Conference

Date: Thursday, June 21 2018

Location: Buffalo Freedom Wall, corner of Ferry St. and Michigan Ave.

Time: 11:30 AM

Who: Mark Dunlea for State Comptroller; Howie Hawkins for Governor

Mark Dunlea, the Green Party candidate for State Comptroller, will hold a press conference in Buffalo on Thursday June 21 to announce his candidacy. A major focus of his campaign is on climate change, starting with requiring the state pension funds to divest from fossil fuels. Dunlea has helped coordinate divestment campaigns in NYC and NYS over the last 5 years. NYC has recently agreed to divest but the State Comptroller prefers to talk with Exxon and other fossil fuel companies.

Dunlea will be accompanied by Syracuse resident Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor.

After the news conference, Hawkins will lead of tour of community sites throughout the Buffalo area to talk with local residents and see if any evidence can be found of positive job creation or community benefit from the so-called Buffalo Billion program.

Cuomo administration officials and donors are presently on trial over the awarding of government contracts as part of the so-called Buffalo Billion. Cuomo convinced the legislature to end the oversight of various state contracts should before the contracts for the Buffalo Billion were entered into.

Hawkins and Dunlea will discuss the ongoing problems with corruption in the Cuomo administration and in Syracuse during the Miner administration. Cuomo’s top aid was recently convicted for political corruption related to the CPV power plant in Orange County and development in Syracuse. The FBI and the Manhattan District Attorney are also investigation the Cuomo administration over the awarding of $25 million in state contracts to Crystal Run a health care firm in the Hudson Valley.

Dunlea was the long-time Executive Director of the Hunger Action Network of NYS. Hawkins is a retired Teamster from UPS.

Itinerary for the “Where is to the Buffalo Billion?” search:

12:15 pm — Buffalo Central Terminal, 495 Paderewski Drive

12:45 pm — Broadway Market, 999 Broadway

1:30 pm — Colored Musicians Club, 145 Broadway

2:45 pm — Fruit Belt Meet & Green at 138 Locust St.

3:00 pm — Delevan Grider Community Center, 877 E. Delavan Ave.