The forum is part of an effort to call upon Westchester Congressional leaders to fight for a budget that invests in the American people and our future by funding jobs, housing, education, health care, and safety net programs. The media is invited to the first hour of the forum for an overview of the key issues.
Speakers will include Juanita Lewis, Community Voices Heard; Chuck Bell, National Jobs for All Coalition; Mel Tanzman, Disabled On the Move; Nada Khader, WESPAC; Mark Dunlea, Hunger Action; Nelini Stamp, WFP; and Rachel Estroff, Westchester for Change.
The House has passed a budget that imposes massive cuts in funding for education, public health, food stamps, affordable housing, and other vital domestic programs while maintaining unaffordable tax cuts and unsustainable military spending. Many in Congress want to place limits on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid that would darken the future for millions. Such cuts run counter to American values of opportunity and security for all. They also ignore the lessons of history: that a strong federal role is needed for broadly shared economic progress.
Americans overwhelmingly believe that strengthening the economy and spurring job creation should be the nation’s immediate top priority. While the long?term federal deficit must be addressed, the nation should reduce the deficit over time through a balanced approach that includes equitable increases in revenue and thoughtful reductions in expenditures that do not serve the public interest, including wasteful military spending that does not add to our security. Congress should focus on the policies that will hasten the economic recovery and build a strong foundation for our shared future.
The event is free and sponsored by the Economic Security Campaign of Westchester, Mt. Vernon United Tenants, WESPAC, Hunger Action Network of NYS, Westchester Disabled On the Move Inc, Community Voices Heard, Westchester-Putnam Working Families Party, Westchester for Change, Connie Hogarth Center for Social Action at Manhattanville College, Purchase and the local NAACP.
For More Info: Nada Khader, WESPAC, 914 449-6514
Mark Dunlea, Hunger Action Network, 212 741-8192 xt 5#
