Prioritizing Rural Communities Across NY
New Yorkers in rural communities deserve the same attention from our government as those in other parts of the state. Unfortunately, too often rural communities are left out of important conversations. As Governor and Lt. Governor, we would fight to ensure that the voices of our rural communities are heard and uplifted.
We would achieve this by calling attention to both universal issues that affect all New Yorkers (including in rural areas) and those issues that specifically impact rural communities. While some issues are truly universal, we know that many issues impact our rural communities in different ways. Below are some priority issues on which we would focus in partnership with rural community leaders and elected officials:
Universal issues
Ensuring universal access to the care that every New Yorker should have: childcare, elder care and healthcare.
Ensuring all New Yorkers, whether renters or homeowners, have an affordable place to live. See our housing plan here.
Investing in community safety which is rooted in safe housing, good health care, childcare, reliable transportation and living-wage jobs. Read our public safety plan here.
Tackling climate change to ensure a liveable planet for our children and grandchildren, while providing relief for skyrocketing utility costs. Read our plan to lower utility costs and promote green energy here.
Issues specific to rural communities
Expand access to care by incentivizing improving the quantity and quality of healthcare and childcare providers.
Broadband infrastructure that creates reliable internet access to facilitate education, entrepreneurship, and engagement – all of which proved even more critical throughout the pandemic.
Investing in updating the electrical grid and other basic infrastructure to increase weather resiliency.
Economic development and job creation centered on people and small businesses, not billionaires and big corporations. We are committed to building a pipeline to empower, educate and train local residents to become part of the future of the transition economy.
Ensuring that farm workers receive fair wages, with the protections and support they deserve, while also prioritizing support for small and mid-sized farms.
Support small and mid-sized farms engaged in sustainable agriculture and incentivize in-state purchasing (e.g., school districts purchasing from NY producers).
Tax reform – fixing the unjust, regressive property tax system that unfairly puts the burden on many of our low- and middle-income families, while implementing more progressive tax measures, including a billionaires’ tax, heirs’ tax, and Wall Street tax.
Public transit options to ensure rural communities are not limited in opportunities to work, care and travel.
New York is home to over 1,800 manufactured home communities that face the constant threat of being bought out by predatory real estate investors. We must enact further protections to ensure that these communities remain an affordable housing option for upstate families.