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Hawkins Lobbies State Legislators for 100% Clean Energy by 2030
For immediate release: May 8, 2018
ALBANY--Green Party gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins is lobbying state legislators today in support of the New York Off Fossil Fuels Act (NY OFF, A.5105/S.5908A ). The bill would amend the state's energy master plan to require a transition to 100% clean energy by 2030. It would halt the building of any new infrastructure for natural gas or other fossil fuels.
The lobby day in Albany is organized by Food & Water Watch and the Green Education and Legal Fund. Over 100 organizations in the state have endorsed the NY OFF Act.
"I support NY OFF because it's the only climate bill before the legislature that actually does what the climate science says we must do. The science says that industrial states like New York must get to 100% clean energy and zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 if the planet is to avert runaway global warming and climate catastrophe," Hawkins said.
Read moreHawkins calls for more public housing, releases tax returns
WRVO (NPR, SUNY Oswego), May 8, 2017
Green party gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins is calling for an expansion of public housing in New York State. At the same time, Hawkins is criticizing Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s housing investment strategies.
Hawkins decried the decline of public housing options in Syracuse, standing between two weed infested vacant lots.
“In this case both on this side of the street, and the other side, there was once over 400 units of affordable housing,” Hawkins said. “But no affordable housing has been built since this project was torn down in 2013.”
Hawkins says these vacant lots also are a good example of how the Cuomo Administration’s public-private partnership model leads to pay-to-play corruption. He notes many of the principals in a no bid, no money down deal at the site, have since been caught up on corruption charges in connection with other state projects.
Hawkins' answer to all this is to pump billions into the state municipal housing authority to create mixed-use housing.
“I’m talking about high-quality housing, that’s mixed income, which will help reduce the segregation. That’s humanly scaled on scattered sites not concentrated on high rises, that’s built in the suburbs, as well as the cities, and all neighborhoods in the city, and that’s green,” he said.
Hawkins Releases Tax Returns: Says they show how Democrats and Republicans balance the state budget on the backs of local property taxpayers
For immediate release: May 7, 2018
SYRACUSE, May 7, 2018 -- Green Party gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins has released his income tax returns for 2009 through 2017. As a 2014 gubernatorial candidate, he released his tax forms for 2009 through 2013, which can be found here . His tax forms for 2014 through 2017 can be found here .
As a working Teamster who unloaded trucks overnight at UPS until March of this year, Hawkins earned close to the median household income for his home town of Syracuse ($32,704 in 2016). The median household income for New York was $62,909 in 2016, the latest figure available.
Read moreFor cannabis activists in New York City, racial justice is a major topic of conversation
Four candidates for New York governor spoke in favor of cannabis at the rally: Cynthia Nixon (Democrat), Joel Giambra (Republican-turned-Reform), Larry Sharpe (Libertarian), and Howie Hawkins (Green). Digs at governor Andrew Cuomo abounded.
Howie Hawkins in Albany May 8 for 100% clean energy, stop fossil fuels
For immediate release: May 7, 2018
Howie Hawkins, who is seeking the Green Party nomination for Governor, will participate in the 100% clean energy by 2030 / Off Fossil Fuels Now campaign at the State Capitol on Tuesday, May 8.
Hawkins will be available for media interviews.
Hawkins was one of 55 people arrested during the Cuomo Walk the Talk climate action protest on April 23.
Hawkins’ 2010 campaign called on a ban on fracking on natural gas. His Green New Deal calls for 100% clean energy by 2030 (no natural gas, nukes, biomass) combined with a full employment job guarantee program based on a sustainable economy.
At Cannabis Parade in New York City, Full Legalization Feels Right Around the Corner
Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor, said at the parade that “we must demand more than our present ineffective medical marijuana program which seems primarily designed to enrich a few well-connected business people. Even though New York decriminalized small amounts of marijuana 40 years ago, local police especially in New York City have used the discriminatory enforcement of the law to target people of color.”
Read moreHawkins Renews Call for Marijuana Legalization at NYC Cannabis March; Accuses NY Police Department of abusing law to target people of color
For immediate release: May 5, 2018
Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor, repeated his long standing call for legalization of recreational use of marijuana at the annual cannabis parade in New York.
“We must demand more than our present ineffective medical marijuana program which seems primarily designed to enrich a few well-connected business people. Even though New York decriminalized small amounts of marijuana 40 years ago, local police especially in New York City have used the discriminatory enforcement of the law to target people of color,” noted Hawkins.
Hawkins believes cannabis legalization should include the following measures:
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Regulate cannabis industry to include and encourage minority, women, small, and cooperative businesses and exclude big pharma, liquor, tobacco, and agribusiness.
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Regulate cannabis to encourage organic production methods and protect consumers from pesticides and chemical additives.
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Full Re-Legalization of Industrial Hemp for any hemp grower.
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Tax cannabis products at the normal sales tax rates, excluding homegrown not for trade or sale.
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Pardons for all non-violent drug felons.
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A Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission to assess the impact of the war on drugs and mass incarceration, particularly on communities of color, and recommend policies to repair the damages.
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State Attorney General to defend of all cannabis producers and consumers who may be prosecuted by federal law enforcement.
Green Party Candidate for Governor Howie Hawkins Calls for Expansion of Affordable Public Housing
WAER (NPR, Syracuse University), May 4, 2018
Green party candidate for Governor Howie Hawkins is calling for a massive expansion of public housing in the state in an effort to make housing more affordable. But he says it’s a different approach than the old, large-scale projects of decades past.
“Those projects just increased segregation and concentrated poverty. I’m talking about high quality housing that’s mixed income - which will help reduce segregation - that’s humanly scaled on scattered sites, not concentrated in high-rises, is built in the suburbs as well as the cities, in all neighborhoods in the cities, and is green.”
Read more
Hawkins calls for public housing expansion
Gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins is using several methods to get the message out about his frustrations with the current administration.
Fresh off his arrest at a protest last week in Albany, the Green Party candidate was in Syracuse, Friday making his case for a massive expansion of public housing to make rent more affordable.
Read more