| The Long
Island Progressive Coalition is a community-based organization dedicated to promoting sustainable development, revitalizing local communities, enhancing human dignity, creating effective democracy, and achieving economic, social, and racial justice. |
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LIPC's Current Campaigns
:Verified Voting::Transportation::Equitable
Taxation::Health Care::Clean
Money, Clean Elections::Labor
and Community::
::The Environment::Education::South
Fork Progressive Coalition::Suffolk
County Jail::Caithness Power Plant & Repowering
Verified Voting
In coalition with other statewide and national groups LIPC is working to make sure Nassau and Suffolk counties use auditation and reliable voting machines rather than touch-screen machines that are vulnerable to tampering and hacking. Read this article for more information.::top::
Transportation
LIPC is fighting for a reliable, accessible, affordable and community-friendly
public transportation system that will reduce dependence upon the automobile.
We are leading grassroots efforts to steer the Department of Transportation's
20-year plan for Long Island (LITP2000) in that direction. ::top::
Equitable taxation
LIPC believes that taxes should be based on people's ability to pay. LIPC's
Fair Tax Campaign provides a long-term solution to Nassau County's fiscal problems
by creating a small graduated County income tax linked to a reduction in County
property taxes. ::top::
Health Care
LIPC fights for quality, affordable health care for all. We are working to make
healthcare coverage a right for everyone. Our Managed Care Consumers Assistance
Program educates people about their rights and gives tools to challenge denials
by HMOs. ::top::
Clean Money, Clean Elections
LIPC is fighting to take big-money out of politics. We support Clean Money,
Clean Elections reform, to limit campaign spending and provide fixed and equal
public funds to candidates. ::top::
Labor & Community
LIPC believes in fighting for dignity in the workplace, a guaranteed pension,
a 40-hour work week, decent health care, and basic family supporting wages.
We are building an effective alliance between organized labor and community
activists on issues of corporate accountability, full employment, and responsible
economic development. ::top::
A clean environment and livable communities:
LIPC believes that concerns for community revitalization, affordable housing,
public transportation, and environmental preservation must be at the center
of decisions about land use and economic development. In 1996, we released "Long
Island 2020: A Greenprint for a Sustainable Long Island" that initiated
local campaigns to end suburban sprawl and promote Smart Growth alternatives
to traditional development. ::top::
Education
LIPC, is organizing the local campaign of a statewide initiative The Alliance
For Quality Education. AQE believes that every public school should provide
a quality education to all its students by having smaller classes, qualified
teachers, safe clean and technologically up to date classrooms, and early childhood
education programs. ::top::
South
Fork Progressive Coalition
The South Fork Progressive Coalition promotes healthy, equitable, and environmentally
sustainable policies in East Hampton and Southampton Towns specifically targeting
affordable housing. ::top::
Suffolk
County Jail
The state has mandated that Suffolk County build
a 1260 bed "Super Jail" in Yaphank that will cost tax-payers close
to half a billion dollars when you factor in construction costs and debt service.
We maintain that cheaper and more effective alternatives to jail construction
exist. Bigger jails and prisons has a negative effect to our society. We need
to find more effective and creative ways of address public safety.[visit www.suffolksuperjail.com] ::top::
We've Won
Economic Benefits: in the early 90s, we helped initiate, organize, and lead a successful national campaign that expanded unemployment benefits from 26 to 39 weeks. We also succeeded in getting the New York Power Authority to establish a $20,000,000 revolving fund for the energy efficient retrofitting of municipal buildings; and we led successful efforts to stop the creation of an Urban Development Corporation affiliate that would have had the capacity to override local zoning.
Family Health Plus and Child Health Plus, health care programs that provide coverage to hundreds of thousands of children and adults in New York.
The Managed Care Consumers' Bill of Rights, a law that provides strong HMO and health insurance protections for New York consumers.
Campaign Finance Reform: LIPC released a path-breaking report on local campaign financing, called No Bid-No Coincidence. That report linked campaign contributions to the granting of no bid personal service contracts by the Nassau County Executive. It contributed to the passage of a referendum that significantly reformed County contracting practices.
Sweatfree Suffolk County: LIPC successfully lobbied for the passage of Sweatfree legislation making Suffolk County one of the few counties in the nation requiring apparel purchases are not made under sweatshop conditions.
Campaign to Save Route 25A: LIPC coordinated Island-wide opposition to widening a historic roadway. Currently, there are no new widening projects for that roadway.
Local Chapter Successes,
including the expansion of accessory apartment legislation in Southampton and
creating the concept of a affordable housing fund through NY State, and the
preservation of a historic log cabin in Hempstead.
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