STOP LANDLORD CASH FROM FLOODING ALBANY
Last year, the tenant movement made headlines with a report that showed how landlords flood Albany with cash. State leaders have agreed that our elections need reform and that the loophole that allows big real estate to get around our lax laws needs to be closed. New York City is now the homeless capital of the United States. That's because Big Real Estate holds an outsized role in politics. Your organization can make that a reality: join the push. Sign on to the letter to reform elections, and go to Albany for the March 11th lobby day.The letter is posted below. To sign your organization onto the letter, contact us at jaron@realrentreform.org. ## Speaker Sheldon Silver New York State Assembly NYS Capitol Albany, New York Dear Speaker Silver, As organizations dedicated to working to ensure safe, stable and affordable housing for all New Yorkers, we are depending on you ensure final passage of a robust campaign finance reform package as a part of the 2014 New York State Budget. At a time where there are more homeless people in New York City than ever before, and an unsettling number of families are severely rent burden (that is to say a paycheck away from being homeless) there is clearly an outsized influence from Landlord and Real Estate Interest’s millions in the current campaign finance system. New York needs an election system that reduces the political influence of real estate and the amount developers can spend on candidates and campaigns. Closing the LLC loopholes would stop real estate from sending endless amounts of cash to campaigns. A public campaign finance option would ensure that our elected officials are accountable to regular voters, amplifying their voices above those of Extell and other mega-developers. We must enact a public funding of elections system for statewide and legislative races in New York. Greater transparency, lower contribution limits, closure of the LLC loophole are also necessary. You have championed the cause for protecting New York City tenants and enacting public campaign finance, in Albany, for decades. But right now is the time to make that second fight a reality. As one of the state’s top leaders, your ability to keep public campaign finance reform in the final budget is vital. We are depending on you to be the champion you have always been. Sincerely, The Undersigned Organizations | |||
