We condemn our white nationalist governor and his pattern of straight up racist policies attacking immigrants. As democratic socialists, we recognize that migrants experience the most damning and direct crimes of the neoliberal capitalist system. Militarized borders, xenophobic/racist immigration laws, and an abusive prison industrial complex aim to dehumanize and marginalizes immigrants, functioning to both suppress wages and divide the working class.

We seek to abolish these and any barrier to the social, labor, and political power of migrants through our organized movement.

Donovan Lewis was a son, a brother, a sports fan, and a music-lover. He lived in Columbus surrounded by his family and friends. At 20 years old, his life was stolen from him by Officer Ricky Anderson in the early morning of Tuesday, August 30, 2022. While serving a warrant for his arrest, Anderson opened Mr. Lewis’s bedroom door and immediately fired his weapon, striking Lewis in the abdomen. Officers then handcuffed Donovan and carried him out onto the street. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead soon after.

Columbus DSA rejects the notion that there is any possibility the shooting was justified. Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant defended Anderson’s actions, saying that it appeared Lewis was raising an object in his hand at the moment police opened the door. In truth, a vape pen was the only object found on the bed after the shooting. Despite being a 30 year veteran of the force, Anderson did not hesitate even briefly before killing Donovan, opening fire in a split-second. Anderson had no opportunity to identify a weapon on Lewis’s person, nor did he afford Mr. Lewis an opportunity to surrender before ending the young man’s life. What the people of Columbus have witnessed—and what the released body camera footage demonstrates—is yet another murder in cold blood perpetrated by law enforcement against an unarmed Black person.

The murder of Donovan Lewis comes as the most recent in a series of local police killings of Black people, commonly young and/or unarmed. Columbus remembers the shooting of 16 year old Ma’Khia Bryant by Officer Nicholas Reardon, the murder of 23 year old Casey Goodson Jr. by Deputy Jason Meade, and the assassination of 47 year old Andre Hill by Officer Adam Coy. The Columbus Dispatch recently reported that of the 62 Columbus police shootings since 2018, 19 have been fatal, and of the 19 people killed, 12 have been Black. Time and time again, local law enforcement have demonstrated that they are unencumbered by any concern for Black life.

The Democratic Socialists of America remains an abolitionist organization, as does its Columbus chapter. We view the prison-industrial complex, including law enforcement agencies, as instruments of racial capitalism: the social and economic system governing American life. We believe that racial justice will not be possible until the white supremacist institutions of police and prisons are replaced by life-affirming alternatives. Columbus DSA reaffirms our commitment—shared with our comrades within and without DSA—to free America from the grip of mass incarceration. Together, we will build a society that respects human dignity irrespective of race and refuses to cage people as a solution to social problems. We will achieve food, housing, education, healthcare, and justice for the people of Columbus and beyond.
Justice for Donovan Lewis. Justice for Ma’Khia Bryant. Justice for Andre Hill. Justice for Casey Goodson Jr. Justice for all human beings who police officers have murdered and abused. Defund and abolish the Columbus Police Department

In 1997 nearly 200,000 Teamsters went on strike against UPS. They fought for a better contract and they won. Will the American Labor Movement experience another massive strike at UPS led by the Teamsters in 2023? Matt, a member of the Teamsters, joins us to discuss that and much more.

The Debt Collective, a national union of debtors, will be joining our next GM, Thursday evening, 9/8, 7:00 p.m. at ArtRage Gallery (and online), to address debt and related topics like inflation! We’ll also be organizing for our 10/1 protest centered on housing and county budget priorities. We hope to see you there!

Check out our recording on our youtube channel here

The post Debt Collective @ 9/8/22 General Meeting appeared first on Syracuse DSA.

by Rory P

Six months into the campaign for tenants’ right to counsel in Jersey City, nearly one hundred people convened at the Jersey City Theatre Center for a town hall organized by the the North Jersey Democratic Socialists of America (NNJDSA) to share tenant stories and examine the issue at hand – whether tenants should have free legal representation to stand up for themselves in court.The answer from the crowd of organizers, tenants, and coalition partners was affirmative and resounding.

The right to counsel (RTC) ordinance, advocated by NNJDSA’s Hudson County branch and its coalition partners, would provide free legal representation to all tenants in Jersey City, where 72% of people rent their homes, the rents of which landlords have raised by about 50% from 2021 to 2022. The ordinance will be funded through a tax or fee on landlords and development rather than the general budget, which comes from a property tax levy or federal grants.

“Let’s make sure the people responsible for the housing crisis are the ones who pay for this,” said Jake Ephros, co-chair of the campaign. “The bill for a just right-to-counsel ordinance should be footed by developers,rather than pinning it all on the average taxpayer.”

Campaign volunteers have been canvassing every neighborhood of Jersey City for months, gathering hundreds of signatures intended to demonstrate to the political establishment and the Jersey City Council specifically that mass support for such a policy exists among residents.

After countless meetings and hours spent strategizing, phone banking, and canvassing, NNJDSA is now in position to pack a theater and chart a path forward with coalition partners and other organizers.

Coalition partners who shared their organizing stories included Make the Road NJ, an Elizabeth-based immigrant rights organization, and members of the Portside Tenants Union, which represents tenants of Portside Towers and has been lobbying the Jersey City Council to enforce rent control laws.

“A synergy formed, a focus on law and regulation, and what we had the ability to change by working together.That’s been our fighting point,” said Jess, a tenant-organizer at Portside Tenants Union who, along with other tenants in the building, has seen substantial rent hikes and neglected essential services in recent years. “We’re all aligned in that. It all went back to issues – the water intrusion, the elevators, the lack of safety. It was empowering. Now I’m excited to be here to help others in the same situation.”

Many others’ stories distilled a collective experience of anxiety and powerlessness, a common thread among the mostly working class attendees.

“I come into my apartment and see eviction notices. That’s intimidation, to be honest. It makes me feel uncomfortable,” said John Acosta, who moved from the Bronx to Jersey City last year. “If all we’re doing is building luxury apartments, where are the rest of us going to live? I don’t want this for my daughter.”

“As democratic socialists, we believe housing is a human right and shouldn’t be a commodity or speculative asset,” said Julia Tache, chair of the campaign’s media and communications subcommittee. “The for-profit housing system is the root cause of the issues we are facing today. The city works for developers and landlords, not everyday, working class people. We need to redistribute power to the renters and it starts with strong tenant protections like RTC.”

“A union is a group of workers who fight harder than the boss,” said Joel Brooks, a union organizer, NNJDSA member, and 2021 candidate for Jersey City Council. “It would be great to see a group of tenants who fight harder than the landlords here in Jersey City.”

The RTC campaign is issuing a call to action for supporters to attend a February 8 city council meeting. Readers interested in joining the Right to Counsel Campaign can contact:

righttocounseljc@gmail.com, visit our website at www.rtcjc.org, and follow us @rtcjc201 on Twitter and Instagram

The post RTC Campaign Packs Theater for Town Hall Event first appeared on North NJ DSA.

by Rory P.

Landlords are removing New Jersey ans from their homes at the highest  rate since the pandemic began. In re sponse, the North New Jersey Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (NNJDSA) is organizing a campaign  to pass a “Right to Counsel” (RTC) ordinance in Jersey City.  

RTC refers to government policy that  funds free legal representation for peo ple at risk of losing their homes. Some times that risk is due to eviction filing,  a landlord’s failure to make necessary  repairs, harassment or discrimination  by a landlord, or any circumstance that  may put tenants at risk of being forced  to move.  

The RTC legislation advocated for by  NNJDSA and its coalition partners is  modeled after an ordinance passed  by the New York City Council in 2017  that resulted in a 30% decline in eviction filings. Before the ordinance was  passed, one percent of tenants facing eviction had legal representation  in housing court. Now, 74% have RTC  representation, and 84% of those with  representation stay in their homes.  

“It’s simple. We want to give free lawyers to people at risk of losing their  homes. Anyone who gets served a  notice of eviction, give them a law yer,” said Sarah Levine, an organizer in  NNJDSA’s Jersey City branch. “Moving  is expensive and people don’t have other opportunities. To give them an attorney for free to compel the landlord to  bring the building up to code is a key  way to make sure people don’t become houseless.” 

The RTC ordinance promoted by NNJDSA would be more inclusive and accessible than the RTC implementations in  NYC, Connecticut, the City of Newark  and elsewhere. NNJDSA supports a  version that free of eligibility criteria, as  opposed to means-tested policies that exclude large swaths of people.  

The teeth of the reform will be in its  funding structure. Organizers intend  the ordinance to be funded through a  tax or fee on landlords and development rather than the general budget,  which comes from a property tax levy  or federal grants.  

Finally, a RTC ordinance should allow  for affirmative cases, which means  tenants would be able to use their  RTC-funded lawyer to seek judgment  against a landlord in the event they fail  to provide necessary repairs and services that can render a home uninhabitable. In other RTC programs, tenants receive free representation only as defendants.  

The housing crisis is reaching a fever  pitch as landlords in New Jersey are  raising rents at a higher rate than employers are raising incomes. The $750  million rental and utility assistance pro gram passed in 2021 was designed to  be difficult to obtain for those in most  need and temporary for those who receive it. About 58,000 evictions filings  were made in the first seven months of  2022, double the number is the same  period last year. Meanwhile, those limited rental assistance funds are running dry. Making matters worse, courts  have a backlog of more than 31,000  tenancy cases.  

“It’s so expensive to live here. People  are selling their homes and others are  being evicted,” said Isaac Jimenez, co chair of the NNJDSA Hudson County  branch. “RTC speaks to the moment  we’re in. While there are many crises  stacked on top of one another right  now, the one that allows us to organize for the rest is housing. Keeping  folks where they are is where we start.  Developers are taking advantage by  upscaling and kicking people out. It’s  happening everywhere.” 

“This campaign really important to  working-class people, who are beginning to understand housing as a human right.” said Jimenez. “This is a  form of politics that speaks to the material needs of our lives, unlike what the  Democrats are doing.” 

While a successful RTC campaign  would achieve material gains for working-class people, the journey to that point will build productive and meaningful relationships both within the  chapter and between organizations.  

“RTC has been really great for growing  the chapter. It’s a broad-coalition campaign that we need to put our chapter on the map, especially in off-election cycles,” said Jimenez. “It’s a great way  to build trust.”

The post The Right to Counsel for Tenants first appeared on North NJ DSA.

Last Tuesday New York State held its second primary of the summer and New York City voters are sending another socialist senator to Albany. DSA endorsed candidate Kristen Gonzalez trounced Elizabeth Crowley winning the democratic primary in the newly formed Senate District 59, which includes portions of Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan. We were at Kristen’s victory party in Long Island City and will share some sounds from the ground. And we are joined live tonight by former New York City Council candidate and NewsGuild of New York organizer, Brandon West. We’ll talk about the significance of Kristen’s win and the results of two other Brooklyn Senate races - Jabari Brisport’s run for re-election and David Alexis' challenge of Senator Kevin Parker in Flatbush. 

Jack Devine also speaks with Nic, a fellow PSC union member, about the year ahead for thousands of teachers organizing for a more just CUNY. 

On May 4, 2021 Raleigh City Council approved a tax increment grant (TIG) policy which will allow City Council to grant up to 2% of the citywide annual property tax valuation (currently estimated to be $5 million) in tax breaks to private developers. City Council approved this policy on a 7-1 vote (Cox opposed; Baldwin, Stewart, Melton, Knight, Branch, Forte, and Buffkin in favor)(1).

How it works:

The tax increment grant policy will be allocated on a case-by-case basis by Raleigh City Council, like how rezonings must be approved/denied by City Council. When a property is developed, there is typically a corresponding increase in the value of the property, which will subsequently result in an increase of property taxes owed. However, if a specific development is approved for a tax increment grant, the developer will only pay taxes on the valuation of the property prior to development; any increase in property value because of the property being developed is not taxed. So, while there is not a decrease in the net amount of tax revenue, the city government is leaving future tax revenue on the table (2).

Why it matters:

Given that property tax increases typically occur on an annual basis, this policy effectively allows city government to require ordinary residents of all income levels to pay more property taxes, while allowing high income developers to pay less. This policy shifts the tax burden from real estate developers (typically run by very wealthy individuals that make campaign contributions to city council candidates (3)) to the average homeowner. Though homeowners are directly impacted by the annual increase in property taxes, tenants are indirectly impacted as increases in property taxes are passed on to tenants. This means the city government is specifically choosing to take money from working-class people to give handouts to their wealthy developer backers. If the city were to tax the full property valuation of a development instead of granting a tax break via the TIG policy, the need to increase property taxes on average homeowners and tenants would be decreased.

So why is this policy being implemented?

City government claims that this TIG policy is a tool that can help secure more community benefits from private developers which may include affordable housing, upgrades to infrastructure, or park amenities. However, for-profit entities must protect their profit margins, meaning that any community benefits provided will be a fraction of the value that could have been obtained if the full valuation of the property development were taxed. Further, many development projects seek to rezone their piece of property for increased density, meaning City Council can ask that certain conditions (community benefits such as affordable housing, upgrades to infrastructure, or park amenities) be met for the rezoning to be approved. Many members of the current Raleigh City Council claim that they are not allowed to ask for community benefits in exchange for a rezoning approval, but this is terribly misleading as they are under no obligation to approve any rezoning either. We suspect the true reason this policy is being implemented is to further encourage development by subsidizing the profit margins of private developers. At a time when the economic fortunes of ordinary working-class people are being battered, this perverse policy that Raleigh City Council is implementing would increase the difficulties for working-class people in order to make wealthy developers even richer.

Development must address the housing and transportation needs of residents equitably

Development of Raleigh is essential if we are to meet the housing, transportation, and utility needs of residents. However, it is vital that development occurs in an equitable and democratic manner. This TIG policy falls short of that standard because the shifting of the tax burden from wealthy private developers to all other residents of the city is reminiscent of a regressive tax structure in which low-income people pay higher tax rates. A better strategy regarding development would be to tax the full valuation of private developments to fund other public services such as permanent free bus fare (see Fare Free Forever), quality public housing, commuter light rail, and preservation of natural resources like the Neuse River Basin. For the Raleigh City Council to continue along the current path is a clear declaration of which side they stand on: against workers and ordinary Raleigh residents and with the wealthy developers that pay for their campaigns. We deserve better and must come together to fight for municipal governments that actually represent the will of the people, not just the ultra-rich. Learn how you can join in this fight at dsanc.org.

Sources:

1. http://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BWZ3V3822FDD

2. https://raleighnc.gov/zoning-planning-and-development/tax-increment-grant

3. https://indyweek.com/news/wake/everything-you-need-to-know-money-race-raleigh-city-council/

by Kate Q

Who suffers from Roe being overturned? The working class. Who else suffers? Children who are unwanted and the families who can’t adequately feed and care for them. Millions of children were forced back into poverty after the Child Tax Credit expired. With no new stimulus check in sight, families will be forced to continue stretching themselves even further to make ends meet. This is the inhumanity the right-wing wants us living in.

The litany of America’s abandonment of care for our children is long and worsening:

• Historic baby formula shortages due to the greed of
  monopolistic corporations
• The end of the Child Tax credit, which could have alleviated a significant amount of child poverty and hunger had it become permanent
• No paid parental leave
• No national health care system
• Childcare options that are few, far, and expensive
• The impact of Covid and other infectious diseases on young children
• More than 140,000 U.S. children lost a parent or primary caregiver to a pandemic-related cause
• The takeover of school boards by the far-right
• Family separation due to the prison industrial complex and ICE
• Thousands of children, disproportionately black and indigenous stuck in the foster care system
• A child welfare system that is better understood as a “family policing system” that targets Black communities
• More cops in schools than social workers
• The return of corporal punishment in a Missouri school district.
• Continued mass school shootings and the trauma inducing drills that accompany them
• Ensuing climate catastrophe

The overwhelming reason people seek abortion is because they lack the financial and material resources needed to raise children. The majority of people who get abortions are those who already have families and intimately understand what is needed to provide children a safe, healthy, secure and loving environment.

A notable study conducted in the 70s called the “Turnaway Study” details some of the effects on children whose mothers were denied an abortion:

• Women who were denied abortions were more likely to not have enough money to cover basic living expenses like food, housing and transportation and increased the number of their negative public financial records, such as bankruptcies and evictions.
• The children women already had showed worse life outcomes when their mother was denied an abortion
• Children born as a result of abortion denial are more likely to live below the federal poverty level than children born from a planned pregnancy
• Carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term is associated with poorer maternal bonding, such as feeling trapped or resenting the baby, which can cause deep psychological problems for both the parent and child
  

The raising of loving, healthy children is critical to a healthy society. America’s system fails horribly and is the worst of the industrialized nations. How many children’s lives must be sacrificed to the failing conditions of capitalism?

The growing right wing assault on abortion not only harms the rights of women, people of color, and those in the LGBTQ community; it also harms children directly. Do children have the right to safe drinking water, to be born into families that have adequate resources, to a free and high quality education, to schools without mass shootings? Or are they only fodder for ongoing & future wars, for consumerism and to provide the ruling class with a future class of laborers?

Our only hope is to get involved and fight like hell for free abortion on demand, for a future children will want to/be able to live in and breathe.

The post Generations Sacrificing Future Generations first appeared on North NJ DSA.