Demonstrators at the “Barrios Not Billionaires” march Sunday (Photo provided by Yael Fisher)
Aug. 10 2020 By Michael Dorgan
More than 300 people marched through Corona Sunday demanding that New York’s billionaires pay more taxes to help the cash-strapped state get through the current economic crisis.
The protesters were calling on the ultra-rich to pay more to ensure that the state isn’t forced to cut services given the loss of revenue since COVID-19 hit. They also want billionaires to pay taxes that would help out-of-work New Yorkers–specifically those ineligible for unemployment insurance–through the creation of a fund.
The protesters were critical of Governor Andrew Cuomo who has not backed legislation that would tax billionaires. Cuomo has resisted, saying that such taxes would cause the wealthy to flee.
The rally, dubbed Barrios Not Billionaires and organized by Make the Road New York, started at Corona Plaza at around 2:30 p.m. with participants marching to LeFrak City – a major apartment complex in Corona and parts of Elmhurst.
The protesters have taken issue with Richard LeFrak – the head of the LeFrak Organization – because he is a major donor to Cuomo and his family that built the complex is worth billions.
Representatives from groups such as Desis Rising Up and Moving, the New York Immigration Coalition and New York Communities for Change were in attendance.
State Senator Jessica Ramos, Assembly Member Catalina Cruz and Assembly Member Carmen De La Rosa were among several elected officials to attend the demonstration.
The attendees shouted slogans in Spanish and held signs such as “tax the rich, fund excluded workers” and “cancel COVID debt”.
The protest included costumed dancers and featured music from mariachi bands. Others drummed plastic buckets and blew whistles.
One large banner carried by protesters read “Gov. Cuomo whose side are you on?”
INCREDIBLE! Hundreds of excluded workers begin march through Queens to demand @NYGovCuomo #FundExcludedWorkers and #MakeBillionairesPay.
Follow @MaketheRoadNY @nychange @DesisRisingUp + for more! pic.twitter.com/faTQDMuaAP
— Daniel Altschuler ? (@altochulo) August 9, 2020
The organizers of the event say that the state’s 119 billionaires can afford to pay more taxes because their collective wealth increased by more than $77 billion during the first three months of the shutdown, citing data from Forbes. The state, they say, needs help in covering a $14 billion deficit projected for 2021.
They argue that LeFrak can pay more, noting that his net worth increased by 30 percent during the pandemic, to $3.6 billion, citing Forbes data.
The protest march came to an end outside 59-17 Junction Blvd. where organizers and elected officials spoke to the crowd.
Angeles Solis, lead organizer at Make the Road New York, said workers who are unable to get unemployment insurance are struggling to find work in order to pay for essential living costs– and need help. She said that these workers are also at risk of contracting the virus by taking on certain jobs.
Solis said that a small tax on billionaires like LeFrak is more than enough to pay for a fund to cover unemployment insurance for excluded workers.
“We must fund excluded workers now,” Solis said.
Ramos, who has introduced a bill to create such a fund said that billionaires like LeFrak have been “making a killing” during the pandemic. She said that her bill would raise $5.5 billion by requiring billionaires to pay tax on their unrealized capital gains.
“That sounds like a lot of money to us, because it is, but it’s not a lot of money to them,” Ramos said.
.@jessicaramos: while our communities have suffered immensely during this crisis, billionaires like Richard LeFrak have been making a killing. @NYGovCuomo, it’s time to #MakeBillionairesPay and #FundExcludedWorkers. pic.twitter.com/hVKNlegpzh
— Daniel Altschuler ? (@altochulo) August 9, 2020
Assembly Member Carmen De La Rosa, who supports Ramos’ bill, said that it was time for the state taxation system to be reimagined to ensure that the most vulnerable are able to survive.
“New York needs a worker bailout fund because it is not sufficient for us to depend on essential workers without ensuring that they are protected,” she said.
Ramos’ bill is one of several pieces of legislation to be introduced before the state legislature that aims to bring in tax revenue from billionaires.
The bills include taxes on share buybacks and high-priced properties.
Demonstrators at the “Barrios Not Billionaires” march Sunday (Photo provided by Yael Fisher)
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22 Comments
A bunch of do nothing but reproduce demanding that other people pay even more in taxes so that they can have more free stuff. Got it. I can translate their slogan.
“What do we want?” ”FREE STUFF”
“When do we want it?” “NOW”
He only had 9 golf courses. These liberals would rather he only had 8! Bigly sad.
Safe- Your post is childish and vapid. You know nothing of people especially people with wealth. Your post doesn’t line up with the historical record. Then again you subscribe to Fox News, truth history and fact don’t matter to you. Let’s talk 70’s.
To paraphrase Winston Churchill: taxing one’s way to prosperity is like trying to lift yourself up by the handle of the bucket you’re standing in.
“I made one of the biggest blunders of WW1 and humiliated my country
But you should take my advice!”
Saw this on PIX11 news. They made it seem like they were mostly undocumented marchers. There were also calling for rents to be canceled and to defund the police. Talking about how they do not qualify for federal stimulus aid because many of them in Corona/Queens are undocumented. They do not pay federal and state income taxes but are fighting for billionaires to pay more so that they can get more services. They want Cuomo to establish an Excluded Workers Fund.
They were not undocumented, and there’s no reason to believe that. You’re completely wrong.
The NYPD needs a bigger budget, and you’re saying they cant have it because billionaires need more money?
that’s why they were excluded…because they are undocumented…if they were legal they would have gotten their stimulus checks…
How about teaching your kids to read,write and speak ENGLISH and stay off the school to prison pipeline…Think of how many billions that could save, and we can close jails and lay off thousands of police officer because the crime rate would be so low we won’t have any work for them to do………………..
“Undocumented immigrants” demanding more handouts at the expense of citizens, chanting in Spanish too…only in America.
Trump promised Mexico was making a “one-time payment” for the wall…and you want to blame someone else?
I love how libs/progs/dems/commies only know how to express snark through the use of the word, “huh” at the end of a sentence–implying that their adversaries couldn’t express the logic of their thinking unless the libs/progs/dems/commies first expressed it in a child-like parody. Do you have any other rhetorical weapons; or, is this all you have?
Why are taxpayers paying new taxes for it? We have the least jobs in our country of all time.
The banner the marchers are holding can be looked at as racists against dark skinned people and families. It sends the wrong message that the poor are dark skinned. Unless its a portrait of millionaires like the Obama’s vs. Trump.
Aaahh! So this is why caravan migrants invaded the southern boarder some time ago and that cities harbor them. Everyone knows that Marxism is a failed idea.
lol what?
Trump said Mexico would make a “one-time payment” to fix what you’re complaining about.
You fell for it…and now you want to blame others?!
I am a billionaire I chose to no longer reside in a place with rampant crime, muggings, homeless moving into hotels are the new norm. This place has become a hell hole, you people of Corona pulling knives on random people are the new problem.
See ya NYC
If youre ever in St Johns come and see me, Ill be on my chaise sipping something good from a coconut, working from my home. Thank god for telecommuting!!
I’m not saying tax rates are disproportionate and in need of some balancing but seeing dozens of people living here illegally and not “legally” contributing the system trying to dictate fiscal policy just irritates me.
Mac, with all due respect, do you not mean to say, “I’m not saying tax rates AREN’T disproportionate and in need of some balancing…”?
I believe that I got the gist of your meaning through the context of your missive; but, it would be better if you expressed yourself properly. I admit that I am a bit of a grammar policeman, because it galls me that adults can’t be bothered to educate themselves before thrusting out their gibberish pablum as proper Vox Populi invective. Too, I must say that I find your “politics” and your “logic” as puerile as your language skills; but, if you are going to make an effort…make an effort. Capeesh?
@Big Mac- Your post should be removed for targeted bullying. Shame on you.Just because someone touched a nerve doesn’t give you the right to bully.
Ellen-
What authority gives you the power to determine what an independent business does with its comment boards? Within the confines of your own mind, you are living in a delusional fantasy world in which you, as “Big Sister,” tag me with your self-created slander as if your words had the weight of law. They do not. You are a moral narcissist. Totalitarian much? I really hope the Sunnyside Post censors allow this comment to pass; because, your comment illustrates why the “progressive” Left is so dangerous: When normal people have a conflict, they either reconcile or avoid one another. Life goes on. But, when a Leftist takes issue with someone, they seek to shut that someone down. Your silly comment would be laughable if it weren’t, in NYC in 2020, so creepy.