How to call:

1. Be nice! The people answering the phones have really hard jobs, with low pay. Thank them for their hard work answering the phones, because without them our elected officials could not represent us!

2. Be short and direct. Assembly and Senate offices receive hundreds of calls a day, so they keep track of constituent opinions using tallies of “in favor of,” or “opposed to.” You don’t have to explain yourself at length.

 

Call Governor Andrew Cuomo at 518-474-8390

Get your message directly to the source – call Governor Cuomo at 518-474-8390. You can leave a message or speak directly to an operator (there may be a long wait time). 

 

Phone script and talking points:

Hi, my name is _____. I live in Rochester/Monroe County. I am calling to ask you to avoid across-the-board budget cuts that will hurt families and find new ways to raise revenue such as increased taxes on the highest tax brackets. Struggling families cannot wait, and New York must make sure that budget and spending decisions prioritize people in poverty.

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Optional additional talking points:

SAY NO to across-the-board budget cuts.

 

• Poverty across our region is only expected to grow wider, deeper, and more complex due to the COVID-19 crisis.

 

• Unemployment rates have already reached as high as 20 percent in the City of Rochester, infection rates continue to rise, and the pandemic has exposed the existing racial disparities that have plagued our community.

 

• RMAPI’s community partners, those working directly with people affected by poverty, anticipate devastating effects if the state goes forward with 20 percent budget cuts. This would mean that people facing poverty, the elderly, and homeless could be most at risk.​

 

SAY YES to new ways to generate sufficient revenue for needed services.

 

• Instead of exploring devastating budget cuts and making decisions between “bad and worse,” we support the State finding new ways to raise revenue through tax code changes.

 

• Our community needs a solution to the pending financial crisis through a short-term tax increase on the highest income tax brackets (millionaires and billionaires).
   

HELP struggling New Yorkers by ensuring that spending decisions prioritize people in poverty.

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• Income going directly to people would help our neighbors struggling with evictions or foreclosure, help with car payments, child care costs, food, essential cleaning supplies, PPE, etc. – all vital basics people need to maintain stability in their lives.
   

• Along with continuing to support our nonprofit and governmental partners, we strongly encourage the State to focus on programs and policies that get resources to people as directly as possible.

 

Call State representatives

Thank you for making your voice heard to Gov. Cuomo! You can also call state representatives and tell them to oppose across-the-board budget cuts using the same script. 

 

You can use this tool provided by the League of Women Voters to find your elected officials from each level of government: https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5950/c/10065/getLocal4.jsp

 

Please note: Due to the COVID-19 crisis, some offices of elected officials may be closed. Most officials provide capitol and district office numbers—at least one of these numbers should still be taking calls.

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State Representatives

Assemblymember Marjorie Byrnes

District 133

(585) 218-0038

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Assemblymember-elect Jen Lunsford

District 135

(585) 371-8490 

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Assemblymember Sarah Clark

District 136

(585) 467-0410

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Assemblymember Demond Meeks

District 137

(585) 454-3670

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Assemblymember Harry Bronson

District 138

(585) 244-5255

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Assemblymember Stephen Hawley

District 139

(585) 589-5780

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Senator Pamela Helming

District 54

(315) 568-9816

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Senator-elect Edward Rath

District 61

(716) 650-0351

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Senator Robert Ortt

District 62

(716) 434-0680