Raise The Stakes!
Don't Let Our Senators Sell Out The Tenant Agenda
Three things to do! YOUR ROLE IS CRUCIAL!
- MASS PROTEST for RENT REFORM
with civil disobedience, rally and press conference. Be there!
DEMAND THAT OUR SENATE ALLIES BLOCK THE END OF SESSION UNTIL TENANT BILLS PASS.
BE ON CALL TO GO TO ALBANY whenever the Senate votes on our bills. All of these efforts are aimed at getting the NY State Senate to pass our tenant legislation. If we get word of a vote, we need tenants to be ready to go to Albany on short notice. To be on the "on-call list", email: active@metcouncil.net or any tenant advocacy group you work with.
Click on "read more" below for more information on WHY we need to act now and how to sign up.
WHY WE NEED TO ACT NOW:
The New York State Senate was very close to passing a package of pro-tenant legislation this week. We were promised a vote on our bills, and we mobilized tenants to hold our Senators to the promises they made not only this week and this year, but over the past decades.
On Thursday night, the Senators went home, without having voted on a single piece of crucial tenant legislation. What happened?
The landlord lobbyists have gone all out to thwart our efforts by leaning hard on a couple of members of the Democratic conference who are beholden to the real estate industry (along with nearly all of the Republicans). Those Democrats threatened to vote against our bills, and the Senate Democratic leadership backed down. Everyone knows that landlords own a few of the Democratic members - but why is the leadership allowing a couple of corrupt members to set the agenda?
1: MASS PROTEST FOR RENT-LAW REFORMS
with civil disobedience, rally and press conference.
Plan on being there!
- WHERE: Monday, July 12, 2010
arrive by 11:30 AM for an action at NOON
- WHEN: Lower End of City Hall Park
Subway: R to City Hall, 2/3 to Park Place, 4/5/6 to Brooklyn Bridge, A/C to Chambers, E to World Trade Center
We are taking our demands for rent-law reforms TO THE STREETS. Our Demand: Our Senators MUST NOT LEAVE ALBANY until they pass our tenant legislation.
This WILL BE A SAFE PLACE for anyone who does NOT want to participate in the civil disobedience. It is crucial that we have a large group of supporters. If you want to show up for the rally only, we will ensure that you will not be at risk of arrest. Everyone is welcome! We need hundreds who will not be risking arrest to join the action.
If you are interested in joining the group of people who will be planning civil disobedience, you must first be a part of the planning. Email july12@realrentreform.org.
2: DEMAND THAT OUR SENATE ALLIES BLOCK THE END OF SESSION UNTIL TENANT BILLS PASS.
We need every progressive Senator to be doing everything they can to make sure the Senate passing a package of pro-tenant housing bills before they home for the year. Our Senators need to feel pressure from us to push them to step up, take leadership, and see that the Democratic Senate leadership brings pro-tenant bills to the floor to be passed before the end of session. Your voice counts!
CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR WITH A SIMPLE MESSAGE:
___________
Senator X. I am a tenant in your district, and I have been waiting for decades for the Senate to finally do something for tenants. You claim to be pro-tenant, but the landlords are clearly setting the agenda. Tenants need you to pass the Real Rent Reform legislation before ending the session!
Please call SENATE DEMOCRATIC CONFERENCE LEADER JOHN SAMPSON AND TELL HIM THAT YOU WILL NOT VOTE FOR THE BUDGET DEAL UNTIL AFTER the Senate has brought the Real Rent Reform legislation to a full vote. If you really care about tenants, you need to take a stand - and the time to do so is NOW.
_____________
To find out who your Senator is, and to get the number to their office, go to active@metcouncil.net or any tenant advocacy group you work with.
