July 2026 Newsletter
The state legislative session may have ended last month, but our campaigns are in full swing. In Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster counties we’ve been continuing our push to tax the rich so we can fund essential services, stop New York from helping ICE, and more.
This summer, we’re building the people power we’ll need to win big statewide victories next year. That means it’s the perfect time for YOU to get involved. Keep reading to learn more about our current campaigns, what’s next, and how you can join the fight to transform New York.
VICTORY! Ulster County voted this week in favor of taxing the rich to fund essential services. The Ulster County Legislature voted in support of a resolution to pass the Ulster for Fair Taxes Act, which would allow the county to create a local surcharge on the wealthiest 1% of residents to fund services like SNAP and Medicaid that are facing federal budget cuts. The bill now heads to the state legislature for final approval. Sign up here to learn more at our Kingston community meeting!
ICE is trying to open a new detention facility in Newburgh, but we’re not going to let that happen. We mobilized to the Newburgh Town Board meeting to urge them to use every available legal and political tool to stop this facility from opening. If you want to get involved in our campaign to stop New York from helping ICE, come to our Newburgh community meeting July 30th.
And in Poughkeepsie, we hosted a forum this weekend with our members to strategize around our endorsements for the upcoming general election in November. Stay tuned for a big endorsement announcement coming soon and join our Poughkeepsie community meeting to learn more!
During one of the most perilous political moments in recent history, our state leaders chose not to tax billionaires to fund basic services for the rest of us, fully stop New York from helping ICE, or tackle the housing crisis by passing the REST Act. We’ve still got a lot of work to do to win those campaigns.
But we didn’t let them get away with sitting on their hands. We fought hard. We brought hundreds of people to Albany, made thousands of calls, sent emails, and worked with our grassroots champions in office to move their colleagues.
Together, we won:
- Laws holding ICE accountable by banning agents from hiding behind face coverings, stopping them from using our local jails, and prohibiting formal collaboration with state law enforcement
- $1 billion for one-time energy rebates to help New Yorkers pay outrageous utility bills
- A one-year moratorium on AI data centers
These victories will make a real difference in many lives—and they are not enough. Legislators make choices, but voters have choices too. We need more champions in office who will fight for laws that make a real difference in our lives. We will not continue to send elected officials to Albany only to have them return home with nothing.
The most impactful way to build our movement is by knocking doors and calling our neighbors about the issues they’re facing to bring them into our collective work. We’re canvassing and phonebanking every week in Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and Kingston.
Sign up to canvass or phonebank with us! No prior experience required—we’ll train you before you go out and send you with a partner if you’re feeling nervous.
And if you’ve already phonebanked or canvassed and are looking to deepen your commitment to our work, become a member! Members commit to attending at least one event every 3 months. By being a member, you can play a role in planning actions, events, and campaign tactics; vote on which candidates we should endorse; and more. If you’re interested in becoming a member, fill out this interest form and one of our organizers will be in touch.
Onward!
Team For the Many
