CWAers in N.Y. Campaign for Public Election Financing

NY State Senator David Carlucci joins CWA district 1 canvassing event.

Training turned into action in New York State’s Hudson Valley as CWA members joined their elected representatives and other like-minded citizens in the push for publically financed campaigns in New York.

A measure proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, passed by the State Assembly and is pending before the State Senate. Supporting the legislation is a broad coalition of state and national organizations including CWA, Citizen Action, Common Cause, the Working Families Party and The Brennan Center for Justice.

Last Thursday, CWA members met at CWA Local 1120 in Poughkeepsie for an intense day-long mobilization training led by veteran Working Families Party organizer Maureen Darras.  CWAers talked about the huge role of money in politics, learned which elected officials needed pressure to support publically financed campaigns and determined how to “cut turf” in specific geographic areas to reach a maximum number of union households.

Training also included practice in the art of canvassing, from the initial greeting to getting a signature on a petition.

CWA Local 1103 rallies for publically financed campaigns in New York.

During the day, activists received phone calls from state lawmakers who encouraged them to keep up the fight, and a representative from the office of New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Hudson Valley native, attended the session to personally encourage the activists.

Hitting the ground running, CWA canvassers met with State Senator David Carlucci, a key swing vote on the issue, in his Rockland County office; Carlucci expressed his support for their work. Over the two day canvass, the group knocked on hundreds of doors .

CWA Local 1120 Legislative and Political Action Director John T. O’Malley said the program will continue into June with member-to-member outreach in Westchester and Orange Counties as well.