(Utica, NY – March 20, 2013) About 40 local citizens and representatives of community, labor, and human service organizations held a vigil in Downtown Utica to ask that Congress repeal Sequestration, immediately adopt a fair budget, and protect Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare from benefit cuts.
The Central New York Citizens in Action, Organizing for Action, MoveOn, Citizen Action of New York, Central New York Labor Council, Occupy Utica, IWW, and local agencies and unions sponsored the vigil, which was held at the offices of Representative Richard Hanna. Pat Costello, President of the central New York Labor Council, was one of the featured speakers.
Utica was one of seven communities in Upstate New York which participated in the March 20 Day of Action to oppose the Sequestration and the Ryan Budget. Other cities which hosted rallies included: Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, Albany, and the Hudson Valley/Dutchess County. At least 168 actions were held today in communities in the United States asking for a repeal of the Sequestration.
Local residents, carrying signs and marching, called on Representative Richard Hanna to cancel the Sequestration cuts, oppose the Ryan budget, and ask the richest to pay their fair share. “Although the Sequester became effective on March 1, many local residents have yet to feel the hardship it will cause for many households and our regional economy.” John Furman, President of the Central New York Citizens in Action, Inc. compared its effect to that of a tsunami, “because it does not give advance warning.”
Furman stated: “Many residents will be astonished that the services and programs they rely upon have been cut. Sequester will hit this area hard because many residents rely upon federally funded programs. The federal government is one of our largest employers in this area, particularly at the Griffiss Park. Our local economy is still recovering from the recession and these cuts will make it more difficult for Central New York and the Mohawk Valley to get back on its feet. We urge Congress to do what is right for Central New Yorkers and cancel these cuts”
Residents provided examples of how these cuts would result in economic hardship:
*Federal assistance for disabled students would be cut.
*Meals on wheels programs would have to reduce services.
*Important scientific research at the Rome Lab would be curtailed.
*Job training programs to put the employed back to work would suffer cuts.
“Sequester is reckless, irresponsible, was never meant to go into effect, and is not supported by the majority of Americans,” said Donald Stebbins of the Central New York Citizens in Action. “We need to send a clear message to Congress: Cancel the cuts and stop the Ryan budget. What Congress created, Congress can end.“
“Every member in Congress would vigorously deny any intention of harming children”, said Ted Tottey, Organizing for Action Team Leader. “But, when Congress votes to cut vital programs and deny opportunities; when they ignore the effects of a deteriorating environment, side-step the lack of a world-class education for our poor and middle-class children, and then pile on the denial of the need for better health coverage, plus refuse to restrain the killing of innocents with military-style guns, while also denying that homelessness is a major problem for children — that all adds up. It adds up to neglect and abuse of our most precious resource. Their devastating budget cuts are producing a full-bore stealth attack on the well-being of our children and young people. ”
Residents also asked Representative Hanna to oppose the Ryan Budget proposal which would cut spending by $4.6 trillion over ten years and include major cuts to vital services and substantial changes to Medicare benefits. “The Ryan budget puts tax cuts for corporations and the very rich over funding for programs that many local residents depend upon such as Medicare and Medicaid, job training, tuition assistance, and health services,” said Mary Clark of Citizen Action of New York. “These programs, which were severely cut in 2011, will face even more devastating cuts that will push Central New York into greater economic distress.”
Vigil organizers asked local residents to call Congressman Hanna and urge him to cancel the cuts and oppose the Ryan budget. For more information on how to become involved in the anti-sequestration and fair budget campaign, contact the Central New York Citizens in Action at 315-725-0974 or send an email to cnycitizenaction@gmail.com.