By Howie Hawkins

High property taxes are probably the most common complaint from Long Island residents. 

Hurricane Sandy showed how vulnerable the Island is to climate change and severe weather. 

Dealing with clean water and sewage is a critical challenge. 

Many parents and teachers are unhappy with the Common Core-aligned high-stakes testing regime imposed on local schools. 

My gubernatorial campaign provides solutions to these and other problems.

Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor, took his campaign today to communities in the Southern Tier. Hawkins is calling for New York to invest in a transition to 100% clean energy by 2030, which would create 4.5 million new jobs whilelowerng electric rate by 50% compared to fossil fuels.

Hawkins is on an anti-fracking truth-telling barnstorming tour after visiting the gasfields of Susquehanna County in Pennsylvania. On Wednesday October 15, Hawkins stopped to meet with media and fracktivists in Cooperstown, Oneonta and Ithaca to share his impressions of the impacts of hydrofracking and to reiterate his support for banning fracking on his first day as Governor. Hawkins criticized the Cuomo administration for interfering with a US Geological Survey study on the dangers posed by fracking.

(New York City) — Last night Andrew Cuomo delivered the Top Ten list on CBS’  “The Late Show with David Letterman,” where he laid out the "Top Ten Ways New York State is Better Than Ever." 

But the Hawkins campaign was anonymously given the original Top Ten script Late Show writers had drawn up for Cuomo. The script was then altered by Cuomo just as he similarly altered the federal fracking study.

Without further ado the original Cuomo Top Ten script: 

The Top 10 Reasons New Yorkers Can't Trust Governor Cuomo

No. 10: Just ask the Working Families Party.

No. 9 : Said he'd fight corruption then he killed the anti-corruption Moreland Commission when it got too close to him and his friends.

No. 8: Cuomo says he is undecided about fracking but is allowing construction of fracking infrastructure in NY

No. 7: Cuomo says he is waiting for the science to decide about fracking, just like the climate change deniers.

No. 6: Cuomo Says he'll move NY to 100% renewable energy…wait, no he doesn't say that, Howie Hawkins does.

No. 5: Say's he's going to fight for working people and the middle class while he freezes wages and doesn't raise the minimum wage.

No. 4: He's putting his new memoir on the non-fiction shelves.

No. 3. He won't debate because he says "debates are a disservice to Democracy."

No. 2: He is the only Governor doctoring the science on fracking.

No. 1: He says New Yorkers are better off but half of all New Yorkers can't afford their rents!

(New York City) — Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor, called today for full public campaign financing as a critical measure to create democracy and fight corruption in New York State.

"I am all for fair elections and full public campaign finance," said Hawkins. "But, unfortunately, the Fair Elections bill would not achieve full public campaign financing."

Hawkins said that he would also prohibit individuals and companies doing business with the state (including lobbyists) from making campaign contributions, and would restrict the ability of state lawmakers to earn income from outside employment.

Hawkins has voluntarily imposed a $2,600 limit on contributions to his campaign (the federal limit) and takes no funds from corporations or their PACs.

"New York's government has long been for sale to the highest bidder. No politician has more embraced the 'pay to play' approach than Cuomo, who has raised half of his $44 million war chest from 331 donors who gave him $40,000 or more.  People who donate huge amounts of money are buying access and favors," said Hawkins.

The Clean Money Elections bill (A4116-2013, S4501-2013), which Hawkins fully supports, sets up a system of full public campaign financing like Arizona and Maine have. Candidates would qualify for public funds by obtaining a certain number of $5 donations. The candidates would either opt in to running entirely with an equal state grant of Clean Money or opt out to run on private donations from special interests or self-financed (e.g., Bloomberg, Spitzer). "That would level the field for Clean Money candidates and expose the "Dirty Money” candidates," Hawkins said.

(Newburgh, NY) Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor, came to Newburgh today to discuss his opposition to fracking and the need to fully fund schools.

Hawkins said that the one televised debate for the Gubernatorial candidates next week in Buffalo was unfair to voters, who deserved the opportunity to fully hear from the candidates about their different visions for improving the state.

Howie Hawkins visited Susquehanna County in Pennsylvania on October 9 to see first hand the impacts of hydrofracking and to meet with residents whose water has been polluted as a result of drilling operations.

"It should be abundantly clear that Fracking must be banned in the state of New York. That was the position I took in 2010 when I ran for Governor and that continues to be my position.

(New York City) - The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club—the citywide progressive LGBT club—endorsed Green Party Governor candidate Howie Hawkins at their Sunday endorsement meeting.

It is the first time in the activist club's ten-year history that it has endorsed a non-Democrat for office. The club was the first Democratic club to endorse Zephyr Teachout in the primary and was credited by Teachout in her concession speech for  "jump starting her campaign."

"I am honored to receive the Jim Owles endorsement, and proud to stand shoulder to shoulder for LGBT rights with the club," said Howie Hawkins, Green Party candidate for Governor. "The members of the club clearly see that I'm the only candidate who will fight for economic justice, a $15 minimum wage, universal healthcare, 100% clean energy and a fracking ban. I am the only progressive running for Governor."

"These two historic endorsements, from two of New York City's leading progressive Democratic clubs, are proof that my run for office continues to gain momentum as more attention is paid to it and progressives disaffected with Governor Cuomo and Albany corruption are finding a home in my campaign and my platform," said Hawkins.

The Jim Owles club endorsement was the second major Democratic club to endorse Howie Hawkins over the weekend. On Friday the venerable Village Independent Democrats reform club endorsed Hawkins for Governor.

Hawkins is at 9% in the polls, and has been picking up endorsements from teacher and education groups, in addition to these progressive Democratic clubs.

"The polls show that this has become a three way race. People want change, better jobs, higher pay, more support for local schools. They are tired of being told that they can only choose between two parties that favor the very wealthy over working families," noted Hawkins.

(New York City) - The progressive Village Independent Democrats endorsed Green Party Governor candidate Howie Hawkins at their Friday endorsement meeting.

It is the first time in the venerable club's history that it has endorsed a third party candidate for any office.

"I know it is a bold move for any Democratic club to endorse outside the party. But it makes sense as I'm the only candidate who will stand up for the 99% who are getting a raw deal from politicians. I am the only candidate who will ban fracking, and create millions of jobs by moving to 100% clean energy by 2030. And I'm the only candidate that will put a floor on wages with a $15 minimum wage. The endorsement makes sense as I am the only progressive running for Governor." Hawkins said greeting the endorsement with gratitude.

"This historic endorsement, by this storied Democratic club is further proof that my campaign is gaining momentum as more attention is paid to it and progressives disaffected with Governor Cuomo and Albany corruption are finding a home in my campaign and where I stand on the issues."

(New York City) — Howie Hawkins and the Green Party are calling for clemency for nonviolent drug offenders and the legalization of drugs starting with marijuana, as part of the gubernatorial campaign's criminal justice reform platform.

 “It’s time to free the prisoners of the war on drugs,” declared Green Party governor candidate Howie Hawkins as he and the party’s attorney general candidate and Bronx-based people’s lawyer Ramon Jimenez spoke in front of Manhattan Criminal Court. “Clemency for nonviolent drug offenders and legalization are two key steps towards the necessity of turning back the New Jim Crow and ending mass incarceration.” 

“We need clemency for non violent drug offenders in New York State,” Hawkins said. “The misguided war on drugs is so fraught with racial bias that it has put a debilitating lifelong stigma on a large percentage of communities of color. That is why we need clemency, and expungement of these records now.”

Andrew Cuomo said today: "Literally on a weekly basis, you can get academics and reports saying it's totally safe and then the next week you get a report saying it's the most dangerous thing since a nuclear explosion," Cuomo said. "You know, that's one of the challenges. It's become a very highly politicized, highly emotional, highly opinionated topic and I am relying on substantive experts in my administration who don't bring any bias to work through it and give me their best advice, which I will follow. I'm not a scientist. I'm not going through the data and the research myself, but they are."

Hawkins had the following response to Cuomo's comments:

"Today, Andrew Cuomo got one thing right: he's not a scientist. Unfortunately, his own Administration recklessly edited a federal US Geological Survey study, literally removing parts of it that showed the problems and threats of fracking to New Yorkers. Then the Governor says that he is relying on those same "experts" in his Administration not to bring any bias. I've got news for Cuomo, New Yorkers aren't buying it. And New Yorkers aren't buying the notion that oil and gas industry-sponsored studies that say fracking is safe are legitimate. Their "frackademics" are bought and paid for to tout the industry as opposed to the real unbiased scientists who week after week are finding inherent problems with fracking that cannot be prevented."