You are reading

Rally Demanding Billionaires Pay More Taxes To Be Held in Corona Sunday

March Against Billionaires Poster (Twitter: Make the Road NY)

Aug. 8, 2020 By Michael Dorgan

A rally is taking place in Corona Sunday calling for New York’s billionaires to pay more taxes to help the state recover from the COVID-19 economic downturn.

The “Barrios Not Billionaires” march is being organized by Make the Road New York and will kick off near Corona Plaza at 2:30 p.m. The demonstration is being supported by several Queens elected officials and other advocacy groups.

Make the Road New York (MTRNY), a New York City-based immigrant advocacy group with an office in Jackson Heights, wants the ultra-rich to cover the $14 billion state deficit projected for 2021 that was caused, in large part, by the coronavirus shutdown.

Governor Cuomo has warned that – without a federal bailout – schools, hospitals and other local services face funding cuts of up to 20 percent across the board to get the state out of the red.

Cuomo has indicated that he will not increase taxes on the rich to make up the shortfall which has angered MTRNY and its supporters. Cuomo believes that taxing the rich would be counter-productive and would only drive the wealthy – and their money – out of the state.

However, MTRNY said that New York’s billionaire’s can afford to pay. MTRNY said that billionaires have gotten richer during the economic downturn while low income workers have suffered disproportionately.

MTRNY said that over 100 billionaires increased their wealth by more than $77 billion during the first three months of the shutdown, citing data sourced from Forbes.

They want billionaires and not workers to bear the cost of the downturn.

The march on Sunday will focus on real estate mogul Richard LeFrak, who has increased his net worth by almost 30 percent to $3.6 billion during the pandemic, the group claim citing data sourced from Forbes.

Le Frak City (Photo: Queens Post)

The group has taken issue with LeFrak because he is a major donor to Governor Andrew Cuomo and his family has ties to the community through its ownership of the LeFrak City apartment complex. LeFrak City is a major apartment development in Corona and parts of Elmhurst.

Demonstrators will meet at 40-04 National St. and march toward the LeFrak City complex where they will hold a press conference with elected officials at 59-17 Junction Blvd. at 4 p.m.

Several Queens lawmakers are expected to attend the rally including State Senator Jessica Ramos, Assembly Members Catalina Cruz, Jeff Aubry, Brian Barnwell and City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer.

The protest comes weeks after MTRNY held a similar protest outside the Manhattan apartment of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos calling for billionaires to pay more taxes.

The Aug. 9 protest is also being held to express support for several state bills that would tax the super-rich if passed and signed into law.

Ramos has introduced a bill that would raise $5.5 billion in taxes from billionaires that would go toward creating a fund to help workers who are excluded from wage protection programs like unemployment benefits. Many of these workers are undocumented immigrants.

Ramos, whose bill would require billionaires to pay tax on their unrealized capital gains, said that working-class communities have suffered job losses, the death of loved ones, and face the threat of homelessness while the rich have gotten richer.

She said that her bill would provide these workers with the support they need to make it through the pandemic.

“It’s the only way all New Yorkers can get back on their feet and stabilize our economy in a safe and healthy manner,” Ramos said in a statement Friday.

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, high-priced properties and hiking the top income tax rate.

 

The route for the “Barrios Not Billionaires” march on Sunday (provided by Make The Road New York via Google Maps)

email the author: [email protected]

33 Comments

Click for Comments 
Guest

Nobody has any plan. If we didn’t have Covid this year, nobody would be complaining about anything, complain about how the situation was mishandled and how the effects will linger for months if not years.

8
3
Reply
Dan

The definition of ‘rich’ is on a sliding scale. After we break their bank accounts, then it will be the millionaires, thousandaires, etc… It is not possible to make everyone equally rich, only equally poor. If everyone was a millionaire, what would a loaf of bread cost? How much would you have to pay a baker to bake a loaf of bread if they were a millionaire? As of late, i am fortunate to be a hundredaire. Buts its not enough to move out of this city.

22
3
Reply
Dan's Guardian Angel

You better try to get out of NYC, Dan! If you fail at that, you’ll be a “penny-are!”

Reply
Final

Apparently they want a complete economic collapse and to turn America into Zimbabwe! Once you scare off the Billionaires, shareholders, everyone with money and every innovator in the country all you’ll be left with is a bunch of lame ducks and broke people.

34
3
Reply
Kate

The mere fact that the present system in a crisis like COVID effectively transfers money to the richest people, and punishes the poor and struggling is plain wrong. Tax the rich.

6
30
Reply
Beckinsale

1) “If socialists understood economics they wouldn’t be socialists.” ― Friedrich Hayek
2) With a survival rate of 99.94%, Covid isn’t a “crisis,” it is social engineering; and, YOU, Kate, are participating.

8
2
Reply
Enjoy Boca Raton!!

Guess all the Billionaires will be moving their primary residences to a no state tax state like Florida…wow, the level of common sense these people have is mind boggling…oh yes and pay for the criminals who came here illegally…you know because the rule of law and stuff…

29
3
Reply
COVID cases are SKYROCKETING in the red states

Florida, a red state, has a terrible amount of COVID infections and deaths. The rich are moving north.

34
14
Reply
nice try.....

you are a sheep who chooses to believe the fake news media…DEATH RATE PER 100k> NYC: 281 NJ:178 MA:127 CT: 124…and Florida: only 38 per 100k…great job Gov DeSantis!!! nobody is moving north…you probably actually believe Alzheimer Joe can win the election…see ya at the polls!!!

2211
1
Reply
That's completely false

Highest death rates per capita:
1. Mississippi
2. Louisiana
3. Florida
4. Texas

Oops!

12
5
Reply
shame on you

you realize people can look these things up on the internet now??…your left wing lies are all you and your ilk has left….see ya at the polls!!

2
11
I agree, you're completely wrong

Yep, the stats prove you completely wrong.

Did you really now know that COVID is skyrocketing in red states? Do you know which states Trump told to “liberate” themselves from public health?

Anonymous

The common cold is rampant too, big deal. All the lockdown did was kick the problem down the road. The economy was destroyed for nothing.

5
1
Name

That makes no sense. Wouldnt the billionaires have already done this? And yeah, enjoy Boca Raton, where there’s 1 dentist for every 9,000 people

1
7
Reply
Shane

I’m no billionaire but listening to the entitled attitude towards others property as if they are owned something from another person’s success is odious. Might as well be the mob shaking down a private business. Its a somewhat revealing attitude that belies why many who share it will remain in the poverty trap due to their own mindset and overly simplistic views rather than focus on pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps.

31
2
Reply
#wheresjimmy

How about pay back your welfare payments and food stamps as well as Medicaid since those of us who work and pay taxes are paying for people with lots of free time on their hands

3861
3
Reply
DumbsUpBoy

@#wheresjimmy
How about you thumb your own posts up instead of asking Thumbs up Boy to do it?

5
6
Reply
ABoondy

these billionaires have properties all around the country. all they have to do is claim their main residence in that state. then who will nyc steal money from? oh right, the tax payer. also, who will the city tax? the billionaires personally or their shell companies with overseas tax shelters? lets face it, they know the game and know how to play it. they didnt become billionaires by being stupid.

1058
1
Reply
Name

Why would they claim NY as their home in the first place? Like you said, billionaires arent stupid

6
1
Reply
Bye Bye New York

Never going to happen. The wealthiest New Yorkers are fleeing the state faster than you and I can run. Like a number of states run by Democrats, policies put in place have destroyed New York State. There is no money, and don’t ask the federal government for money, because it’s not their problem.

28
Reply
Communism does not work

And when all the billionaires have left NY?

Socialists never learned the parable of the Golden Goose. They kill it every time then scratch their heads wondering where all the golden eggs went.

Every.

Time.

28
1
Reply
Jimmy the Millionaire!

Jimmy lives in a house worth $1,200,000!
We all want to be billionaires!

18
Reply
Mac

Let’s also stick birth control on this agenda. I’m not against asking the super wealthiest to do more but I think people with children they can’t afford are an even bigger problem. The cost of living is also cheaper south of the Mason Dixon. Move.

20
2
Reply
It runs North-South!

The legal name is “Mason and Dixon” line.
Did you know that it runs North-South?
Well……a very significant portion of it.
Also, there is piece with a curve rather than a neat right angle!

Reply
Tree of Liberty

The state, city at least is giving us many warnings. Upon your arrival to state/city between charging u $6.00/plus tax lol, for a luggage cart at airport or for one to cross their bridges into city. These are warnings that the nickel n dime options are running out. As the billionaires move out I will be considered rich soon.

1882
Reply
Larry Penner

Be ware of politicians who are playing off the 1% versus 99% otherwise known as class warfare for personal political gain. It is in essence government confiscation of wealth, via taxation from the haves to the have not’s growing out of control. Sooner or later, the producers of wealth will be outnumbered by the takers. We are becoming perilously close to that point. Those who create wealth and income will eventually go on strike demanding that they be able to keep more of what they earned.

The infamous 1 percent already contribute 40 percent of all taxes paid. It is the billions in taxes on profits, income and bonuses that Wall Street companies and their employees pay that fund many of the essential public services that we of the other 99% count on from government. Thousands other companies employee tens of thousands of citizens providing various support services to these same Wall Street companies. Wall Street is the financial engine which drives our economy.

To end this out of control spiral, government must destroy all its’ credit cards and be put on a fiscal diet today. A multi year freeze on spending, balanced budgets, pay as you go spending, means testing for all entitlement programs and real down payments to reduce long term deficits are the cure. If not, our economy will continue into decline. The result will be a standard of living turning from one of affluence to a third world nation with most everyone living in poverty.

Larry Penner

22
2
Reply
El loco

Gee, I hope that makes those people who are marching feel better about themselves.

15
1
Reply
this aint happening

I think most of the billionaires have left due to the crime, violence and looting that all the thugs did and are currently doing.

23
2
Reply
Cato

Yea! Someone needs to pay for socialism! Why not steal from people who create a product that everyone uses?! There! That’ll show them! Dont be fooled by these politicians thinking they can steal wealth and know what to do with it. The politicians will keep it for themselves and leave you to die in the streets.

31
1
Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News