The Green Party in NY is a sponsor of the March to Fort Drum in Watertown, NY May 8 through 17. From the NYS Marches for Peace web site:

New York citizens will be marching across the state to bring support to our active duty soldiers and Iraq Veterans Against the War. This march will be an act of re-birthing civic duty and responsibility to defend our Constitution and strengthen our resolve to stop the damage this unjust, illegal, and immoral war is doing to our families, communities, the world and most of all, soldiers.

The March will culminate in the Ft. Drum Spring Festival on Saturday, May 17, from 1-7 pm at the Black Water River Park & Campgrounds, 1605 Huntington St. Watertown. There will be music, games for the kids, and food for sale or you can bring a picnic meal. Information Booths on site include: Military VA benefits, disability, PTSD treatment, home loans, etc.

For more information, visit the NYS Marches for Peace web site.

Join with Veterans, teachers, students, laborers, farmers, children, young and old to call for an end to the war.

Carl Lundgren performs at the Green Party of NY State Committee meeting May 10th in Rensselaer. (Youtube video)

At this Spring meeting the GPNY prepared for the upcoming election season including the presidential race. Anyone wanting to volunteer to help get Green candidates on the ballot by petitioning, or who can campaign for Green candidates, or want to be Green candidates themselves, should get in touch with the state-wide or area contacts (see contacts or counties pages).

Petitioning will take place this Summer for those Greens interested in being members of the GPNY State Committee. Information on the process and requirements will be posted shortly.

Press Release: For Immediate Release

May 7, 2008

Green Party of New York State Rejects Judge’s Decision to Exonerate Police in Sean Bell Murder

Press Contact:

Gloria Mattera, Co-Chair, Green Party of New York State
718-369-2998 / 917-886-4538 Cell / Email
Peter LaVenia, Co-chair, Green Party of New York State
518-463-8653/ 518-495-8001 Cell / Email

The Green Party of New York State (GPNYS) offers its heartfelt condolences to the family of Sean Bell, and completely rejects the judge’s decision to exonerate the police officers in Bell’s killing, the latest in a long series of extrajudicial police killings of unarmed civilians.

The GPNYS calls for the City Council and the Mayor to establish an elected Citizen Police Review Board that has subpoena power as well as the authority to impose meaningful sanctions on police officers who violate the law.

“The shooting at, and killing of, unarmed men of color, has become an acceptable and justifiable behavior both in the NYPD, the media, and the criminal justice system that regularly finds the police innocent of their crimes. These deliberate attacks have steadily risen. with the stakes ever increasing, 41 shots, 50 shots, what next, one hundred? What next, grenades?” said Evergreen Chou, former Green Party candidate for State Assembly in Flushing, New York.

These are no longer cases of police brutality. It is shock and awe, it is the deliberate terrorism of minority communities.

Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, a Green Party presidential hopeful, has released an extensive press release about the Sean Bell verdict, that references our flawed legal system. She states, “It is not impossible for us to have justice. We don’t have to lose any more people to police abuse, brutality, or murder. But, in order to change things, we’re going to have to do some things we’ve never done before in order to have some things we’ve never had before.”

GPNYS Platform
Green Party Presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney
Other Green Party Presidential candidates:
Jesse Johnson
Kent Mesplay
Kat Swift

The Green Party of New York stands in solidarity with the family of Sean Bell and encourages all Green Party members and supporters to participate in the city wide action planned for Wed May 7.

Schedule and locations:

3PM: Gathering Points for the May 7th Citywide Slowdown and Pray-Ins:

• Site A: 125th and Third Avenue (led by W. Franklyn Richardson, Chairman of National Action Network)
• Site B: Third Avenue and 60th Street (Led by National Action Network senior staff)
• Site C: 34th and Park Avenue (Led by National Action Network Senior Staff)
• Site D: Varick and Houston Street (Led by Hazel Dukes, NAACP and Labor leaders)
• Site E: One Police Plaza (Led by Rev. Al Sharpton. Nicole Paultre Bell, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield will be at this location)
• Site F: House of the Lord Church, Brooklyn, New York (Led by Rev. Herbert Daughtry)

David Doonan was considering a run for public office last year, but not necessarily for Mayor. But when then Mayor Chris McCormick, was quoted in the local paper as saying “things are easier to get done when the public doesn’t show up” Doonan knew he had to run. “That was really the turning point for me”. Doonan said, “People felt like they were shut out of the process, that decisions were being made without public input”. Doonan made Open Government the central issue of his campaign. It turns out that was the right focus. Doonan won the election with more than 70 percent of the vote. The incumbent, running for a Trustee position, garnered only 8 percent.

Since taking office on April 7th, Mayor Doonan has already lived up to his promise to make Greenwich, NY’s government more open and accountable. He has instituted video taping of all Village Council meetings which will then be available on-line. He’s also added a Mayors report so that the public knows what he does and what he is responsible for. Doonan, a freelance web designer (Doonan is webmanager for the Green Party of the United States), maintains a list of his clients on his campaign website. “Many elected officials in NY who have second jobs do not disclose who their clients are, leaving the potential for graft. Publishing my client list is one way to ensure transparency when it comes to awarding village contracts. This is one way to counter the traditional power structure”.

Doonan says that building community participation and public service were central to his campaign and to his job as Mayor. “If I had won the Mayor’s race, but had not persuaded others to step up and run for office, I would have considered it a failure. But I got two people to run, and they are now serving with me as Village Trustees”. He’s also convinced community members to join the zoning board of appeals.

Besides winning the Mayor’s race, Doonan’s campaign had the added benefit of creating a new Green Party local which meets monthly.

When asked what advice he has for prospective Green Candidates, Doonan stresses the need to focus on local issues that effect the community you’re running in. “Not that you should hide from the larger issues, I kept a ‘Bring the Troops Home’ sign in my yard during my entire campaign, but find out what the local issues are. You won’t win if you don’t address local concerns. “Also, let them know who you are. My race was officially non-partisan, but I campaigned with a Green Party button the whole time. I never shied away from the fact that I was a Green Party member, the webmanager for the Green Party, and also a member of the IWW”.

Doonan included a union bug at the bottom of his website. He thinks it is particularly important for Greens to include union bugs on their campaign materials. “If we want to get labor union endorsements, we need to show that we support organized labor”.

Doonan received financial support for his campaign from both the GPUS Coordinated Campaign Committee’s campaign grant program and the Green Party of New York.

The next meeting of GPNYS SC will be Saturday, May 10 at the United Presbyterian Church, 34 Broadway in Rensselaer.

All enrolled Greens are invited. There will be a time set aside for the State Committee to hear from enrolled Greens.

DIRECTIONS:

Directions to the First United Presbyterian Church, 34 Broadway, in Rensselaer

Take the Dunn Memorial Bridge away from the State Capitol off 787, headed on 20 east, 9 south towards Rensselaer. Going across the bridge, you continue straight onto 9/20 (avoiding ramp to the right for Amtrak, Rt. 43). At the first light immediately as you come off the bridge, you make a right onto Broadway. The church is on the left hand side about half way down the block.

The church is 6/10 of a mile from the Amtrak station in Rensselaer. At the south of the station is a new parking garage with a road and walkway across the railroad tracks headed west (towards the Hudson). Take your first left, which is Broadway. Walk about six blocks or so. Cross route 9/20. (We can arrange a pickup).

From the South. Take first Albany exit off the Thruway (exit 23). Head straight through toll plaza onto 787. Go about 3 to 4 miles. Look for 9 south /20 east (not 20 west). There will be a fork in the road. Bear left. It is the same ramp as the Empire State Plaza but do not take that ramp (right). Take bridge across the river. Follow as above.

From the West. From the Thruway, take first Albany exit (Exit 24). Head east towards Boston. Take the 787 exit south just before the Hudson River. Go about 1.5 miles. Take 9 south, 20 east exit. Follow as above.

From Taconic. Head west on Thruway. Get over at next exit, the I-90 bypass to Albany. Go across Hudson River. On bridge, take exit for 787 south. Go about 1.5 miles, taking 9 east, 20 south exit.

In addition to the victories of David Doonan and Roger Sherman in New York, the following Greens have won so far this Spring:

Jill Stein won her re-election to Town Meeting Seat in Lexington, MA on March 3.

On Tuesday April 1st there were Greens running for office in Massachusetts and Wisconsin.

Robert Crowner and Vincent O’Conner won their elections for Town Meeting Seat in Amherst, MA.

Robert Browne won his re-election to Douglas County Board of Supervisors, District 2, WI.

David Conley won his re-election to Douglas County Board of Supervisors, District 25, WI.

Greg David won his re-election to Jefferson County Board of Supervisors. District 3, WI.

John Hardin won his re-election to Barron County Board of Supervisors, District 2, WI.

John Hendrick won his re-election to Dane County Board of upervisors, District 6, WI.

Kathy Kienholz won her election to Polk County Board of Supervisors, District 6, WI.

Wyndham Manning won his election to Dane County Board of Supervisors, District 5, WI.

John Rendall won his re-election to Portage County Board District 19, WI.

Kyle Richmond won his re-election to Dane County Board of Supervisors, District 27, WI.

Barbara Vedder won her re-election to Dane County Board of Supervisors, District 2, WI.

Greens have won 13 of the 22 races so far this year.

Thanks to everyone who donated to support the recent GPNY fund drive. If you haven’t donated, please know that the the GP in NY will continue to need to raise money to fund a petition drive to get Green candidates on the ballot this Summer, help Green candidates running for this year, and help promote the Green values of Ecological Wisdom, Social & Economic Justice, Grassroots Democracy, and Nonviolence. Please go to the donate page to lend your support.

<!--donation gauge begin--> Donate Today

Our Goal: $10,000

Thanks to you we’re at $873 or 9% →

<!--donation gauge output end-->At the March 1 Green Party of NY State Committee (SC) meeting, the SC passed a plan to send a ballot to every person enrolled in the Green Party in NY State allowing them to vote their preference for the Green Party Presidential candidate. Such a mailing will cost an estimated $13,500. To be able to carry out this plan, the GPNY must raise at least $10,000 by the end of March. You can help by clicking on the donate button above and making a contribution to the GP in NY.

You can contribute by check, money order, credit card, or PayPal.

In addition, money will be needed for petitioning this summer to put the Green presidential candidate on the ballot in NY, promoting that candidate, and assisting and promoting the other Green candidates throughout NY State.

Whatever amount you can contribute will go towards supporting the Green Party and Green candidates in NY.

Chart: Mike Cherim

800 people attended a Green Party presidential debate held in San Francisco on Jan. 13. Green Candidates Cynthia McKinney, Jared Ball, Kent Mesplay, Kat Swift and Jesse Johnson participated in the debate.  Ralph Nader, who has yet to announce for 2008, addressed the crowd after the debate.

Click the menu button to bring up a menu of the videos.

Ralph Nader declared today (2/28) that he is no longer seeking the Green Party nomination for president, and Jared Ball previously left the race. Still hoping to be elected the GP nominee at the July convention in Chicago are several exciting candidates: Jesse Johnson, Cynthia McKinney, Kent Mesplay, and Kat Swift (from the GP-US Presidential Campaign Support Committee list).

For more information on these candidates, you can see Green Party Presidential Debate videos, other videos, or locate links to their web sites.

The Green Party in NY isn’t entitled to hold a Board of Elections run primary. However, people enrolled in the Green Party in NY will have a voice in choosing a Green presidential candidate and the NY delegates to the GP-US presidential convention this summer.

In 2004 each of six regions in NY managed the polling. At the March 1 GPNY State Committee (SC) meeting, the SC voted that if sufficient funds were raised, (please donate) the SC would mail a ballot to every Green on the NYS BOE enrolment list. If this does not happen, then each region will again deal with Greens in their region.

If you are an enrolled Green and want more information, you can contact either your Executive Committee regional representative, or other party officers.

David Doonan for Mayor of Greenwich, NY.

Roger Sherman for Trustee of Schuylerville.

Village elections are March 18th.

NOTE NEW DATE & PLACE:
March 1 at Village Hall, New Paltz
25 Plattekill Ave., New Paltz

View Larger Map

Draft Agenda for March 1, 2008 SC meeting with suggested times

9:00 AM Registration, credentialing, welcome
9:30 Green enrollee speak out
10:00 - 10:10 Election of facilitators, note takers, timekeepers, referees
10:10 - 10:20 Vote on agenda
10:20 - 10:40 A. Report from secretary
1. State Committee membership
2. Vote on October 20, 2008 SC meeting minutes
10:40 -10:55 B. Audit committee update
10:55 - 11:05 C. Treasurer report
11:05 -11:15 D. Presentation of EC actions; discussion and vote
11:15 - 11:45 E. Old Business - proposals
1. Remove the now superseded “endorsement” provision from the GPNYS R&Ps’ (R&P Comm)
2. Amend Party Call (I. Wilder)
3. EC develop & implement 10 yr strategic plan - J. Kann
4. Change Coordinating Comm in GPNYS R&Ps to Green National Comm (D. Cyr)
11:45 - 12:30 F. New Business: Proposals
12:30 - 1:30 G. Lunch - separate from agenda: opportunity for regions to meet and/or hold elections for EC reps, NC reps & PCSC reps
1:30- 3:00 H. Committee & Ad Hoc Group Breakout
3:00 - 5:00 I. Committee reports/group discussion
5:00 - 6:00 J. New Business - Proposals continued
6:00 - 6:30 K. REPORT FROM NATIONAL/SC REPS
6:30 ADJOURNMENT

(more…)