Green Party would make Wall Street pay fairly


Press Connects
October 27, 2010

Green Party gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins said that, as a part of his "Green New Deal," he wants to impose a sales tax on stock transfers. The tax would amount only to one-twentieth of 1 percent on each transfer and bring in an estimated $16 billion. New York state sales tax is currently 4 percent, and most counties have 4 percent sales taxes. So that would be asking the Wall Street brokers to pay their fair share in sales tax.

I have heard the argument that investors will take their money elsewhere. Those that may leave would no longer be Wall Street investors and hence should not command the benefits that go along with working in New York. Their shoes would be eagerly filled.

In any case, refunding the stock transfer tax has been a long-standing example of economic terrorism and we should stop turning a blind eye to it. Support the Green Party and progressive taxation.

Patricia Valek
Vestal

Hawkins offers option to two-party system


Syracuse Post Standard
October 26, 2010

To the Editor:

America is thought to be a country based upon freedom. Though when election time arrives, I have less freedom of choice for whom to vote for, than I have freedom to choose which fast food joint to grudgingly spend money on at a highway rest stop.

When the next generation asks me why, I will not, and neither should you, be satisfied with answering that you chose the best option available, or the “lesser of two evils.” Would you be happy if your teenage son or daughter told you that they had chosen evil, no matter how lesser it was?

I will be voting for the Green Party — Howie Hawkins for governor — Nov. 2 to build the Green Party as a powerful, well-organized alternative to the established two-party system. With 50,000 votes for the gubernatorial ticket, the Green Party will win a permanent ballot line for the next four years. This will enable increased contesting of elections at every level.

Having additional parties on the ballot as candidates at every level, not just for governor, helps illuminate issues from many angles and not just from two conflicting viewpoints of the Democrats and Republicans. Take a few minutes and learn for yourself about the Greens’ platform of progressive taxation and revenue sharing, fully funded schools, full employment, single-payer health care, renewable energy, a state bank to finance a sustainable economic revival and more.

Frank Cetera
Syracuse

Hawkins won’t refund stock tax to Wall St.


Syracuse Post Standard
October 26, 2010

To the Editor:

The issue of the stock transfer tax that Howie Hawkins has raised in the gubernatorial race has not been given the attention in the press that it deserves. So to make it clear what this issue is really about:

This tax, a sales tax on stocks, has been collected in New York for over 100 years; this would not be a “new tax.” In the last roughly 30 years, New York has given this sales tax money collected from the Wall Street traders back to the Wall Street traders. This tax, obviously, has not driven Wall Street traders out of the state and they lived quite comfortably with this tax, without rebate, for over 70 years!

Neither Andrew Cuomo nor Carl Paladino will even acknowledge these facts, and neither one, nor any of our state Democratic/Republican reps, will commit to refusing to refund this money to Wall Street. Hawkins will.

You want a surplus in New York, or even some breathing room to cut taxes for the vast majority of us? Vote Hawkins Nov. 2.

Sue Hammond
North Syracuse

Howie Hawkins is true 'people's candidate'


Auburn Citizen
Monday, October 25, 2010

A message of our discontent should be sent to our governing body in Albany.

Their inadequate handling of what should be their jobs as our representatives is truly reprehensible. In my opinion there does need to be a protest vote against all incumbents on the state level.

In the governor's race where there is none, I find voting for Andrew Cuomo a continuation down the same road of mediocrity, financed by special interests. Although I'm sure Carl Paladino might well shake things up, I find him really scary to our future. I can not in good conscience vote for him.

That is why I am so relieved to know there is a third, seldom heard candidate on the ballot this November, who is not beholding to any corporate benefactors. His name is Howie Hawkins and he is running for governor on the Green Party. He is an actual working person, who if anyone, is a true “people's candidate.”

To learn more about Howie's platform, position and hope for our state, please go to www.howiehawkins.org for more information.

Ronald C. Van Nostrand
Moravia

Auburn Citizen: Forget the status quo, support Howie Hawkins


Auburn Citizen
October 24, 2010


Thank goodness they were able to squeeze the gay marriage question into (the) New York governor debate. The religious right is very worried about this. They’ll shuffle molesters around without warning, but don’t let some gay people marry! God won’t like that.

 

Did they really need to ask Mr. Paladino that question? I would’ve posed, to Mr. Paladino, a two part question. No. 1: Are you going to have me “taken out”? No. 2: Where is Jimmy Hoffa?

 

I love Jimmy McMillan’s response that he doesn’t care if you marry a shoe. I think he should’ve said sheep. He missed his opportunity to appeal to some rural voters. They really outnumber the foot fetish crowd.

 

If you really want someone of the people, your vote need not be for a billionaire developer or another Cuomo. Check out Howie Hawkins. Don’t be a sheep.

 

Dan Noble
Auburn

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