For Immediate Release: December 10, 2024
Media Contact: Lisa Thomas, lisa@alignny.org, (347) 415-6431
ALIGN to Governor Hochul: To Put Money in
New Yorkers’ Pockets, Raise the Wage
ALBANY, NY – Today, a new Siena poll revealed that voters’ top issue remains the high cost of living, with 43% of respondents naming it their number one concern. Additionally, Governor Hochul released a plan this week to send inflation refund checks to New Yorkers making less than $150,000, using surplus sales tax revenue. In response, ALIGN released the following statement:
“Today’s polling shows that the cost-of-living crisis is far from over, and band-aid solutions like one-time checks are not going to cut it. The problem is more simple than it seems — prices have gone up but wages haven’t kept pace. Poverty rates in cities across the state remain among the highest in the nation, and when New York raised the minimum wage to $15, it was the largest poverty reduction in 50 years. The planned $0.50 raise on January 1 is not enough; New Yorkers are looking to Albany to take bold action now to raise wages. If the Governor truly wants to put money back in New Yorkers’ pockets, she should give workers a real raise that can cover groceries, rent, childcare, and then some,” said Tal Frieden, ALIGN Campaign Manager for the Raise Up NY coalition.
About ALIGN
ALIGN (The Alliance for a Greater New York) brings together labor, climate, and community organizations for a more just, sustainable New York. Working at the intersection of economic and climate justice, ALIGN builds coalitions with those most impacted and uplifts worker and community voices to fight for dignity in the workplace and a just path to a renewable energy economy for all.
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