February 2024 Newsletter

Dear Friend,

Sarah Meredith here, Gilboa rep and chair of the SCDC Communications Committee. These are busy times. We hear news of the Iowa caucuses and primaries like constant background noise. Even without the pundits and analysts, we can feel the year taking shape as we begin this new month. Biden won as a write-in without being on the ballot in New Hampshire, and Trump lost again in court. Can this be a hopeful sign? I think so.

It’s time for gathering our resources and planning strategy. We have competitive races near us that could help flip the House, and we can play a role in that. Our governor has been working to bring state and federal resources to us, even as there are challenges to meet. With a phone call, you can help persuade local legislators to support her efforts. We are still working on fielding a candidate to run against Stefanik, or her appointed replacement.

Let this newsletter inspire you to feel part of something bigger than daily life. We’ll have much to do as we head towards spring!

Let the Sap Rise,

Sarah

WHAT CAN YOU DO? More Ways to Support Democracy!

By Sarah Meredith, SCDC Gilboa Rep

MOBILIZE... doesn't just mean marching in the streets, though there may be some of that in our future. https://www.mobilize.us/ is like an internet bulletin board full of events, activities, and petitions relating to our neighbors, as well as campaigns across the country. There are ways to be involved in supporting the BIDEN/HARRIS ticket as well as Tom Suozzi in Dist. 3, Josh Riley in Dist. 19 and Pat Ryan in Dist. 18. (corrected Districts for Riley and Ryan)

Remember last month, I mentioned Activate America? As a volunteer with Activate America you can designate the type of information you want them to send you so that you can choose different actions throughout the year. You can still sign up for your specific priority action here: https://www.activateamerica.vote/ourraces2024

It is up to you how much time you spend and where you focus your efforts. RIGHT NOW there’s something you can do.

The best way for us to defeat Elise Stefanik here is to defeat Donald Trump, and the Republican candidates who continue to support MAGA perspectives. Let's work to ensure that Pat Ryan, Josh Riley and other Democrats represent us in New York State.

In the next few months, Schoharie County Democratic Committee members will be organizing local activities. We will be planning our FDR Banquet and setting dates for future events. To make sure you know what’s happening, check that you are on our mailing list and visit our facebook page. Links are at the end of every newsletter. And do pass this on to other people you know, encouraging them to take action. You can always contact info@schohariedemocrats.org and perhaps organize a postcard writing party yourself!

Schoharie County Democrats may be rural folk, but we are not bystanders. Let’s make sure our democratic values are clear and help our neighbors join us in revitalizing our republic.

NY EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT ON THE 2024 BALLOT

by Sarah Meredith, SCDC Gilboa Rep

We have the very special opportunity to codify the Equal Rights Amendment in our New York State Constitution this fall.

According to the New York American Civil Liberties Union:

..."We are on the path to expanding equal protection for all New Yorkers. Our state legislature passed a state constitutional amendment that creates new protections in our constitution against discrimination based on a person’s ethnicity, national origin, disability, age, and sex — including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive health care and autonomy.

Our New York State Constitution requires all constitutional amendments to pass the legislature twice before giving the public the opportunity to vote on the measure. Now, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote on the amendment on the November 2024 ballot. If voters approve it, the Equal Rights Amendment will be added to our constitution and millions of New Yorkers will gain new protections against discrimination. ..."

This is an historic moment to put equal rights into our state constitution. The legislature has passed it twice - the requirement for it to appear on the ballot -- and now it is up to us to BROADCAST THE NEWS AND GET OUT THE VOTE.

If you would like to work on this, contact info@schohariedems.org

SCDC FULLY SUPPORTS A CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY

by Sarah Meredith, SCDC Gilboa Rep

This year we must mobilize all voters who want to see our government remain one of equal justice under the law. No matter the political party affiliation, here in Schoharie County we can impact our nation's future. Here are four clearly identifiable principles of our Republic:

1. That voting is a sacred right and the capacity to vote is accessible to all citizens.

2. That the Constitution is the foundation of the laws of our nation, not a personality or political party, and that the law applies equally to all people, regardless of particular attributes.

3. That religious freedom is a defining aspect of our Constitution, which means religion must be kept separate from the operation of government.

4. That unbiased public education is a necessity and relies upon national standards to ensure equality of opportunity and commonly held norms of our times.

Most of our Republican neighbors STILL STRONGLY SUPPORT THESE VALUES. Let's help them see the real choice this year. Talk about the basic principles that unite us, share our FB posts, and encourage conversations with younger voters that go to the heart of the matter. Single issue arguments and tit-for-tat who-said-what disagreements are frustrating. If it helps, think about what our soldiers in past wars have fought to protect and defend, ensuring our rights, not taking them away and abandoning our allies in their most intense time of need.

Join in the work of this century -- protecting democracy against the national and global wave of autocratic movements. Join us! Check in at www.schohariecountydemocrats.org or email info@schohariedemocrats.org

Support our work with a donation online through the ActBlue site: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/schohariedems

Or write a check, payable to SCDC and send to:

SCDC Treasurer, PO Box 46, Gallupville, NY 12073

GOOD NEWS: NYS is awarded $15 million in federal funds for EV charging

Governor Hochul's office issued a press release announcing funds for EV charging that will be prioritized for small to medium cities and tourist destinations, including state parks and hotels. The funds come from the Biden Administration's Department of Transportation disbursing Infrastructure Bill monies. The release states in part:

"This award was issued in response to an application submitted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration on behalf of New York State in June 2023. NYSERDA, in partnership with the New York State Office of General Services, New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) in New York State and other planning councils, will administer the grant funds for a community-focused program aimed at filling key gaps in charging infrastructure while matching sites with the most cost-effective and location-appropriate charging types. Charging infrastructure types funded under this program include Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFC) that are best for quick charging and Level 2 chargers which are suitable for charging over longer periods of time."

Let your town supervisor and board members know what it might mean to your community to have one of these Level 2 chargers, both for the residents in your area who want to transition to electric vehicles, and for making it possible for visitors as well. Tourism is a main source of revenue in Schoharie County, and there are large areas where the lack of public EV chargers is a disincentive for visitors.

To read the whole press release, click the link below.

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-new-york-state-awarded-15-million-federal-funding-electric-vehicle

RESOURCE FOR SCHOHARIE COUNTY FARMERS

Mohawk Valley Farm & Agri-Business Network

For information about grants, farm market opportunities, county and state resources. New website: https://www.mvfoodaction.org/home

SCHOHARIE COUNTY FARM BUREAU: ADVOCATE FOR OUR AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE

Excerpt from letter to the editor by Schoharie County Farm Bureau President Steven Smith:

"The Farm Bureau exists as a member organization to support today’s agricultural needs and to create member opportunities for tomorrow.

NY Farm Bureau membership is made up of the state’s diverse farmers, agriprofessionals (sic), and affiliated supporters. Membership in the Farm Bureau provides access to legislative advocacy, member resources, continuing education through webinars, seminars, and conferences as well as networking and member discounts.

While a smaller percentage of the population is engaged in production agriculture, we are all consumers as well as residents. Your membership in the Schoharie County Farm Bureau would also provide opportunities to have input on local, grassroots level policy development.

As a non-partisan organization, the goal of the Farm Bureau is to have a seat at the table of every major policy decision that impacts New York agriculture and the greater economy. A commitment to invest in the next generation of agriculturalists and advocating for the wise use of land resources are just two of aspects of our county Farm Bureau."

A discussion on current issues and planning for local events will be a part of next Schoharie County Farm Bureau meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 15 at 7pm at the Schoharie Firehouse. https://nyfb.org/about/county-farm-bureau/schoharie-county

Photo credit: Mr.TinDC, Flickr

TAKE ACTION: SUPPORT NEW PLASTICS RECYCLING/REDUCTION LEGISLATION

S. Meredith, SCDC Gilboa Rep

According to sources measuring plastic pollution, Americans waste an average of 487 pounds of plastic every year, compared to 252 pounds for Europeans and 152 pounds annually by people in Japan and Korea.

As reported by Karen DeWitt for NCPR (North Country Public Radio), "Environmental groups in New York say a top priority in 2024 will be getting a law approved that would cut the amount of plastic packaging in consumer products in half over the next 12 years and help combat climate change."

There's a bill before the state legislature that would step up recycling efforts and ban plastic recycling that heats plastic waste to a very high temperature, at which it literally changes into a form of fossil fuel.

DeWitt quotes Vanessa Fajans-Turner of Environmental Advocates, who said, "We can't recycle our way out of this problem that we see growing around us every day, because only 6% of plastic actually gets recycled. That means 94% of the plastic we think we're recycling actually ends up in landfills across New York and New Jersey and beyond. The only way forward is to reduce how much plastic we use."

This is not the first time this bill has been put forward, in fact this is the 3rd time, but historically the plastics industry has pushed back pretty hard. Now, according to DeWitt's reporting, the American Chemistry Council is lobbying for some changes to the bill, but is not opposed to a reduction of plastic use in our state.

You can let your representatives know of your interest in this issue and ask them to keep you informed. If they know we care about it, they may feel more like taking action on it. Our 102nd assembly district: Chris Tague https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Chris-Tague/contact/

and our state senate district 51, Peter Oberacker https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/peter-oberacker/contact

For those of you who want to keep track of bills as they move through our state legislature, I recommend this link https://eany.org/our-work/2024-bill-memos/ from Environmental Advocates of New York, where they identify bills, explain them, and track them!

CORRECTION: In the January newsletter we published openings on the SCDC that turn out not to be accurate! Each town has the right to two (2) members on the committee. More than that is okay, but the weighted votes are divided amongst the number of town reps. So please consider encouraging others -- or take the plunge yourself.

The openings are as follows: Broome: 2, Esperance District 2: 2, Seward: 1, Sharon Springs District 1: 2 and Sharon Springs District 2: 1.

TOWN HAPPENINGS:

CHECK THIS LINK TO THE CALENDAR FOR YOUR TOWN & VILLAGE BOARD AND COUNCIL MEETINGS EVERY MONTH

February 2024 Newsletter

schoharie county democratic committee