Finally!!! Campaign Finance Reform gets a Public Hearing!

Our legislators need to hear from you before they vote on Proposed Local Law No. 10 of 2019: A Local Law Regarding Campaign Finance Reform!

Mark Your Calendars! Please Come!

PUBLIC HEARING ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
Tuesday, November 12th at 6PM
Ulster County Office Building (6th Floor)
244 Fair Street, 6th Floor, Kingston, NY 12401

And PLEASE consider signing up to speak.

The hearing will start a little after 6, but show up by 6 to sign up for a chance to speak. Your comments must be limited to 2 or 3 minutes. (Best to time yourself in advance rather than having your best lines cut.)

This is your chance to let our legislators know how important you think passage of this legislation is for the health (perhaps even survival) of our democracy.

Campaign Finance Reform means that:

  • big donors will have less influence on our elections.
  • pay-to-play corruption in government will be reduced.
  • candidates who couldn’t afford to wage competitive campaigns now can.
  • we are more likely to have a more diverse group of candidates to choose from
  • and elected officials who more accurately represent our communities.

Ulster County could have real comprehensive campaign finance reform for local and county-wide races before the end of the year!

The Numbers

…have not changed since our last update:

Local candidates, having qualified for public funds by raising $500 in individual small donations (under $100), including at least 50 individual donations, will have their contributions matched at a 5:1 ratio up to a maximum of $2500.  Candidates receive their share of public funds as soon as they qualify.  

County-wide candidates must first raise $15,000 in small donations (under $100) from at least 150 individual donors to qualify for the $23,000 in public matching funds available.  

Contribution limits (individuals, partnerships, political committees, labor organizations) are set at $3500 per election cycle for county-wide races and at $650 for local races (both considerably less for those doing business with the county). 

Note: A possible point of contention going forward is the 5:1 ratio at which small campaign contributions are to be matched with public money. 5:1 sounds like candidates will get more money. That’s not true. The maximum amount available to a candidate remains unchanged whether the matching ratio is 10:1, 5:1 or 3:1.

At 5:1, local candidates would receive the entire $2500 in public matching funds available to them as soon as they have raised their qualifying $500 in small donations

At 3:1, they would receive only $1500 when they have raised the initial qualifying $500, leaving $1000 still available. To receive that final $1000, they would have to raise another $333 in small donations ($999).

But the maximum amount available to each candidate remains unchanged.

For County-wide candidates, the ratio (5:1 or 3:1) makes no difference at all.  They must first raise $15,000 in small donations (under $100) from at least 150 individual donors to qualify. Either a 3:1 or a 5:1 matching ratio gets them well over $23,000, which is the maximum amount they can receive in public funds.  

Now is the time!

The numbers may not have changed since our last post about the progress of this legislation, but the number of supporters in the Legislature may yet change when all of the absentee ballots are counted. That could work in our favor– or not.

Campaign Finance Reform is something we all care about.

Let’s make sure it happens during this legislative session!

Read our past coverage on campaign finance reform in Ulster County:

2019 County Comptroller Endorsement Process

Ulster People for Justice and Democracy is now accepting applications from candidates seeking our endorsement in special election for Ulster County Comptroller.

We ask that candidates seeking our endorsement complete our 2019 Candidate Questionnaire and submit a resumé and candidate bio to runforoffice@ulsterpeople.org by Saturday, June 1.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT attempt to fill out the application form in your web browser. It will not save your answers. Review instructions below.

Our endorsement committee will reach out to candidates to schedule an interview after receiving their questionnaires.

Candidates will also have the opportunity to address our voting membership at a general meeting. Our next meeting is on Monday, May 20 from 6-8 PM in Rosendale. Candidates may request a speaking slot upon submitting their questionnaire.

The committee will make a recommendation based on platform support and viability as a candidate. Final endorsement decisions are determined by a vote of our voting membership. That vote is tentatively scheduled for the evening of Monday, June 24.

Application Form Instructions

First, download the form (right click the link and select “Save As” or “Save Link As”). Do not attempt to fill out the form in your web browser.

After saving the form to your computer, open it with software such as Adobe Acrobat (PC or Mac) or Preview (Mac only). Test that you can save your answers before filling out the entire form.

If you run into any technical difficulties, we encourage you to print out the form and complete it by hand. You can snap a picture of the pages with your phone, or scan the document and send to us. You are welcome to type up answers to the longer questions in a separate document using the word processor of your choice (Word, Google Docs, etc)

Ulster People endorses 12 candidates for Ulster County Legislature!

Our County Legislature makes decisions that affect our daily lives—from infrastructure, policing, and public health, to our environment, economy, and rights. Ulster People is proud to endorse 12 candidates for Ulster County Legislature (UCL) who, if elected, will shift the balance of power and make real change possible:

  • A thriving and inclusive local economy that supports ALL our residents.
  • Protection of the rights and well-being of the most vulnerable among us.
  • A healthy, sustainable environment for now and generations to come.

Ulster People is pleased to announce our endorsement of:

  • John Schoonmaker – District 2 (Saugerties)
  • Abe Uchitelle – District 5 (City of Kingston)
  • Peter Criswell – District 7 (City of Kingston)
  • Laura Petit† – District 8 (Espous)
  • Mici Simonofsky – District 11 (Marlborough)
  • Betty Diorio – District 12 (Plattekill)
  • Adriana Magaña – District 14 (Shawangunk/Wawarsing)
  • Julius Collins† – District 15 (Town of Wawarsing, Village of Ellenville)
  • Carolyn Hansen – District 18 (Town of Hurley, Town of Marbletown)
  • Manna Jo Greene† –District 19 (Town of Marbletown, Town of Rosendale)
  • Eve Walter – District 20 (Town of New Paltz, Village of New Paltz)
  • Kathy Nolan† – District 22 (Towns of Denning, Hardenburgh, Olive, Shandaken)

†Incumbent

Anyone who wished to seek the group’s endorsement, regardless of party, was asked to complete a questionnaire which was reviewed by the Ulster People screening committee. If the responses showed a strong alignment between the candidate’s views and actions and Ulster People’s platform, candidates were invited to interview with the screening committee, after which, the committee voted to recommend endorsement (or not). Candidates were also given an opportunity to address the membership of Ulster People at a general meeting. The voting members of Ulster People made the final endorsement decisions.

About Our Endorsement Process

Any candidate who wished to seek the group’s endorsement, regardless of party, was asked to complete a questionnaire. An endorsement committee comprised of voting members reviewed the questionnaires. If the responses showed a strong alignment between the candidate’s views and actions and Ulster People’s platform, candidates were invited to interview with the endorsement committee, after which, the committee voted to recommend endorsement (or not). The voting members of Ulster People made the final endorsement decisions. A candidate must receive the support of at least two-thirds of all voting members to receive an endorsement.

Ulster People may consider additional endorsements for county legislature at our May meeting.

2019 County Legislature Endorsement Process

We are pleased to announce that Ulster People for Justice and Democracy is now accepting applications from candidates seeking our 2019 endorsement in county legislature races.

We ask that county legislature candidates seeking our endorsement complete our 2019 Candidate Questionnaire and submit a resumé and candidate bio to runforoffice@ulsterpeople.org by Friday, March 31.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT attempt to fill out the application form in your web browser. It will not save your answers. Review instructions below.

Our steering committee will reach out to candidates to schedule an interview after receiving their questionnaires. The first round of interviews are tentatively scheduled for March 6, 9, and 10. Candidates are encouraged to submit their questionnaires as soon as possible as interview slots are first-come, first-serve.

Candidates will also have the opportunity to address our voting membership at general meetings. Our next meeting is on Monday, March 11 from 6-8 PM in Rosendale. We can accommodate up to six candidates. Candidates may request a slot upon submitting their questionnaire. These slots are also first-come, first-serve. At the following general meeting, on April 8, candidate presentations may be limited to candidates who receive the recommendation of our endorsement committee.

The committee will make a recommendation based on platform support and viability as a candidate. Final endorsement decisions are determined by a vote of our voting membership. That vote is tentatively scheduled for the evening of Monday, April 8.

Application Form Instructions

First, download the form (right click the link and select “Save As” or “Save Link As”). Do not attempt to fill out the form in your web browser.

After saving the form to your computer, open it with software such as Adobe Acrobat (PC or Mac) or Preview (Mac only). Test that you can save your answers before filling out the entire form.

If you run into any technical difficulties, we encourage you to print out the form and complete it by hand. You can snap a picture of the pages with your phone, or scan the document and send to us. You are welcome to type up answers to the longer questions in a separate document using the word processor of your choice (Word, Google Docs, etc)

Ulster People Endorses Strong, Rounds & Clegg!

Ulster People for Justice & Democracy is proud to endorse Pat Strong, Byran Rounds, and Dave Clegg

Ulster People for Justice & Democracy is proud to endorse the following candidates for countywide office in 2019, who, if elected, will shift the balance of power and make real change possible:

  • A thriving and inclusive local economy that supports ALL our residents.
  • Protection of the rights and well-being of the most vulnerable among us.
  • A healthy, sustainable environment for now and generations to come.
Continue reading “Ulster People Endorses Strong, Rounds & Clegg!”

2019 Countywide Office Endorsement Process

We are pleased to announce that Ulster People for Justice and Democracy is now accepting applications for our candidates seeking our 2019 endorsement in countywide races (D.A., County Executive, and County Judge).

As a result of New York state’s newly consolidated primaries, we are working under an accelerated endorsement process. Therefore, we ask that candidates seeking county-wide office complete our 2018 State & Local Endorsement Questionnaire by Tuesday, February 12 by midnight, and submit a resumé and candidate bio. Please also contact Thomas Brown (tcbrown350@gmail.com), chair of the screening committee, ASAP to schedule an interview with our endorsement committee.

The committee will make a recommendation based on platform support and viability as a candidate. Final endorsement decisions are determined by a vote of our voting membership. That vote is tentatively scheduled for the evening of Monday, February 18.

For county legislature candidates interested in our endorsement: our 2019 candidate questionnaire will be released soon. Please keep an eye on this page, or sign up for our email list, for details.

About Our Endorsed Candidates

Cynthia Nixon

Cynthia Nixon for NYS Governor

DONATE!

Cynthia Nixon, though best-known as an award-winning actor, is a long-time activist for public schools, marriage equality, and women’s rights. She advances an agenda for a New York that serves the many, not the few: rent justice, marijuana legalization, improved public transportation, a clean energy economy, and drivers licenses for all. She has great clarity about the specifics of Albany cronyism and the inhumane consequences of austerity. She is refreshingly honest about the areas in which she lacks experience and surrounds herself with good, experienced people while leveraging her celebrity into a formidable force against Cuomo’s $30 million war chest. Just two months into her candidacy, she has deftly used her intelligence, humor, and media connections to promote her platform in ways that have already moved the conversation– and Cuomo – to the left.

Jumaane Williams

Jumaane Williams for NYS Lieutenant Governor

DONATE!

Jumaane Williams has been a forceful voice on the NYC Council for affordable housing, anti-gun violence measures, fair policing, equity, and social justice. He authored the legislation that ended Stop and Frisk in NYC, and championed youth employment initiatives. He has a background in community organizing and has prioritized housing initiatives and tenants’ rights. He is also a committed immigrants rights activist. He is running to be “the voice of the people in state government,” with a vision to transform the office of Lieutenant Governor into the role of independent advocate for all New Yorkers.

Juan Figueroa

Juan Figueroa for Ulster County Sheriff

DONATE!

Juan Figueroa is uniquely qualified to bring real change to the Ulster County Sheriff’s department. His plans include diversifying the department, introducing training to combat racism, treating the opioid epidemic as a public health, rather than a criminal justice, issue, and refusing to cooperate with federal immigration agents targeting our undocumented neighbors. As a Marine Corps veteran with 22 years years of service and 25 years as a NY State Trooper and Investigator, he has extensive experience in law enforcement. As a person of color who has experienced discrimination, he understands the challenges– and importance– of fostering mutual trust and respect between law enforcement and the community. He believes immigrants must be able to contact the Sheriff’s Office without fear, and is fluent in both English and Spanish. Driven by a strong sense of justice and public service, he is committed to serving and protecting all residents of Ulster County and upholding due process and equal protection under the law.

Jen Metzger

Jen Metzger for NYS Senate District 42

DONATE!

Jen Metzger is a town councilwoman, environmental activist and community advocate. She is deeply knowledgeable about social, environmental, and economic issues. As director of Citizens for Local Power, Jen negotiated the first ever reduction in Central Hudson’s service charge and led the effort to keep the Pilgrim Pipeline from carrying Bakken crude oil through our backyards, an effort that produced a domino effect up and down the Hudson River. As a municipal official, she has pursued a local, sustainable energy economy and improved quality of life for residents without raising the costs. She has done so by being simultaneously respectful, fierce, stubborn, smart, compassionate and effective.

Pat Strong

Pat Strong for NYS Senate District 46

DONATE!

Pat Strong brings a progressive vision to economic, environmental, and creative possibilities for the Hudson Valley. She has been an advocate for fully and fairly funded public schools, common sense gun safety, effective interventions and treatment for those addicted to opiods and programs to disrupt the school to prison pipeline. She is an advocate for renewable and sustainable energy and environmental justice for communities suffering the effects of toxic pollution. Pat will be a strong voice against the antidemocratic forces at work in our body politic.

Joyce St. George

Joyce St. George for NYS Senate District 51

DONATE!

Joyce St. George promises to be a real representative for a district that has felt largely ignored for too long. Her career in law enforcement in NYC, where she was the first female investigator to serve in the AG’s anti-corruption unit, included rooting out crime within the criminal justice system, working with the US Justice Department to mediate between police and communities of color and training others in crisis and conflict management. She has since worked as a court mediator for Delaware-Otsego Counties, assisted FEMA providing crisis services following Irene and other disastrous storms, spearheaded the movement to evict the Mercer-funded, Bannon-inspired Reclaim NY from Delaware County, and hosted a radio program, “Conflict Revolution,” that brings together people with different perspectives. She advocates for rural communities and family farms, for sustainable energy, economic equity and social justice. And as a Puerto Rican woman, she brings a much needed perspective and voice to Albany politics.

Announcing Ulster People’s 2018 Endorsements!

Ulster People 2018 Endorsements

Ulster People is proud to endorse the following candidates for State and County office, who, if elected, will shift the balance of power and make real change possible:

  • A thriving and inclusive local economy that supports ALL our residents.
  • Protection of the rights and well-being of the most vulnerable among us.
  • A healthy, sustainable environment for now and generations to come.

In competitive primary races, Ulster People is endorsing the following candidates:

Cynthia Nixon Cynthia Nixon for NYS Governor
Jumaane WilliamsJumaane Williams for NYS Lieutenant Governor
Juan FigueroaJuan Figueroa for Ulster County Sheriff
Jen MetzgerJen Metzger for NYS Senate District 42

And in the general election:

Pat StrongPat Strong for NYS Senate District 46
Joyce St. GeorgeJoyce St. George for NYS Senate District 51

On the CD-19 Race

In the CD-19 race, Ulster People is inspired by the number of candidates who embrace the people-friendly policies of our platform. Given the many strengths of the candidates and our shared commitment to defeating John Faso in the general election, we have decided not to endorse any individual candidate at this time. We look forward to working hard after the primary for a candidate who shares our values. In the meantime, we will focus our efforts on supporting our endorsed candidates at the county and state levels.

About Our Endorsement Process

Any candidate who wished to seek the group’s endorsement, regardless of party, was asked to complete a questionnaire which was reviewed by Ulster People’s endorsement committee. If the responses showed a strong alignment between the candidate’s views and actions and Ulster People’s platform, candidates were invited to interview with the endorsement committee, after which, the committee voted to recommend endorsement (or not). The voting members of Ulster People made the final endorsement decisions.

So now that we’ve endorsed them, let’s help get them elected!

You may also volunteer or donate to the candidates directly through their websites (linked above).

We also encourage you to like each candidate’s Facebook page (also linked above) and like, comment, and share their posts!

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Press inquiries, contact connect@ulsterpeople.org.