Wednesday, July 7th
WIVT NewsChannel 34
Binghamton, New York
From Shawna Cole

Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor of New York State, will kick off the Green Party NY petition drive this Tuesday, July 6th at the downtown Farmers' Market in Syracuse. On Wednesday, July 7th, Hawkins will be back in Binghamton to lead the Southern Tier drive to gather signatures for his run for Governor as well as for the Green Party New York statewide slate of candidates including Gloria Mattera for Lt. Governor; Cecile Lawrence and Colia Clark for US Senate; and Julia WIllebrand for State Comptroller. A meeting is planned for 5:30 p.m. at the Cyber Cafe West in Binghamton.

Currently working as a writer, Cecile Lawrence, one of the Green Party of New York candidates for US Senate, has been a social justice activist for over ten years, is a resident of Tioga County and has worked in Broome County in the past. Lawrence had a local reading of her writing at River Read Books a few months ago. She's also a Ph.D. graduate of Binghamton University. She has been very involved in the hydrofracking aimed for New York State, has testified at meetings of the SRBC and the state DEC. A statewide ban on vertical and horizontal hydrofracking is a plank in the Green Party platform.

The Green Party needs to collect 15,000 signatures from July 6th to August 17th, with at least 100 from half the Congressional Districts to the state.

Hawkins has been critical of state lawmakers for failing to adopt a state budget. Hawkins has opposed the cuts in funding for education, human services, environmental protection and health care approved by the Democrats, calling instead for the state budget deficit to be resolved by making Wall Street and rich New Yorkers pay their fair share of taxes.

The Greens are calling for a Green New Deal, creating living wage jobs for all New Yorkers through increased investments in renewable energy and energy conservation, green housing, expanded and improved Medicare for all, and community services.