WCC ACTS

2007–2008 Policy Positions

•May 2007 Signed-on to the Coalition on Human Needs’ organizational letter to members of Congress in support of expanding refundable low-income tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit.

•April 2007 Position approved to join the newly formed coalition, the Campaign for New York's Future, to enable us to respond to PlaNYC2030, a set of proposals by the Mayor to ensure a sustainable future for New York City.

•April 2007 Position approved to make the 501(h) election to provide WCC with a "safe harbor" with regard to advocacy activities.

•January 2007 Opposes the recent requirement by the U.S. Dept. of Education that all NYS students who are English Language Learners and have been in this country for one year or more be required to take the same English Language Arts (ELA) test as all other students and call upon the Department to rescind this ruling.

•January 2007 Opposes human trafficking. We support passage of effective NYS legislation to criminalize trafficking and protect and help victims of this abuse.

•January 2007 Joins the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition.

2007–2008 Letters & Testimonies

• April 2008 Signed on to letter asking the Governor to help win legislative measures to tackle congestion in the downstate metropolitan area.

• March 2008 Commends Councilman John Liu for his position that "New Yorkers deserve and need a guarantee that revenues from congestion pricing be dedicated solely to transit.

• February 2008 Advocates with elected officials for pilot congestion pricing with revenues dedicated to mass transit.

• February 2008 Is City's Housing Plan on Track? Sewell Chan of the NY Times reports on WCC program

• February 2008 Urges Jets football team to stop the disrespect of women at Jets home games.

• February 2008 Signs on to Welfare Reform Network letter urging increase inwelfare grant.

• January 2008 Testifies in support of congestion pricing and improvements to mass transit

• January 2008 Responds to proposed licensure for Assisted Living Residences; supports LTCCC's white paper.

• January 2008 Urges City Council to support Green Cart legislation to improve health of NYC children.

• January 2008 Testifies in support of congestion pricing and improvements to mass transit

• December 2007 Commends Councilmember Gennaro on passage of NYC's Climate Protection Act

• Decmeber 2007 Testifies at state hearing in support of universal health care

• November 2007 Letter to Governor Spitzer regarding Governors Island

• November 2007 Letter to Landmarks Preservation Commission in support of landmark designation of DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass)

• October 2007 Signed on to statement opposing child support requirements for subsidized child care

• October 2007 Urges MTA to delay decision to raise fares until at least April 2008

• October 2007 Signed on to letter to Congress initiated by Students for Sensible Drug Policy in support of the repeal of the Higher Education Act Aid Elimination Policy

• September 2007 Wrote New York Times Editor re: housing costs and NY's income

• September 2007 Signed on to letter to NYC Traffic Mitigation Commission raising questions needing further research

• July 2007 Wrote NYS Education Department expressing concern with NYC's Contract for Excellence proposals

• July 2007 Wrote Governor Spitzer to support training and jobs with sustainable wages for TANF participants

• June 2007 Wrote State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno in support of NYS Paid Family Leave legislation

• June 2007 Wrote Council Member Jessica Lappin, Chair, NYC Council Subcommittee on Landmarks in support of landmarking designations

• June 2007 Urged City Council Speaker Quinn to increase budget of Landmarks Preservation Commission

•June 2007 Contacted Congressman Towns regarding the reauthorization of State Children's Health Insurance Program

•March 2007 Contacted Mayor Bloomberg and DHS Commissioner Hess to urge that all units currently in the Housing Stability Plus program be inspected to ensure they meet the city's safety standards.

•March 2007 Contacted Governor Spitzer and the legislative leadership regarding the state education budget. Opposed proposed increase in the number of charter schools in NYS, and, in accordance with WCC's principle of public funds for public schools, opposed tuition tax credits to parents who pay tuition to private schools or parochial schools.

•February 2007
Joined PHANYC (Public Health Association of New York City) to ask Mayor Bloomberg to:

• Convene a Mayoral task force on schools and health
• Establish a section of “311” for young people with school and health problems
• Expand the School Health Report Card to help people assess the health of their school
• Assess current and future needs and develop a plan for school nurses, health teachers and other staff

Joined PHANYC (Public Health Association of New York City) to ask Governor Spitzer to:

• Convene a New York State task force on schools and health
• Increase funding for health care to enable young people to get needed care and ensure that Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare and other public programs make enrolling eligible children a priority
• Initiate a comprehensive review of NYS’ K-12 health and sexuality education curriculum and revise, as needed, to ensure that courses provide developmentally appropriate information to young people prior to the onset of problems.
• Expand state funding for school-based health centers

•February 2007 Urges NYC Department of Education to support school based health centers in middle and high schools.

•January 2007 Contacts Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the NY Congressional Delegation to inform them of WCC's federal advocacy priorities.

•January 2007 Urges the US Department of Labor to maintain Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protections provided to working families.

NYC City Hall