At a time when the state faces potential deep cuts in federal funding to vital services by the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled U.S. Congress, DC 37 joined a coalition of progressive groups in support of extending and expanding the millionaires tax on New York’s richest 1 percent.

Seventeen groups issued the statement on March 29, calling on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to push the state legislature to approve the measure during the last-minute negotiations on the state budget, which by law is due by April 1:

“Governor Cuomo is right that the Trump budget and a renewed effort to repeal the ACA would be a disaster for New York’s families, our communities and our state budget.

But the Governor is wrong to suggest that our state can’t respond — and he’s wrong to suggest that working and middle class families should cover the cost of huge federal tax breaks for the rich.

Governor Cuomo and New York’s leaders should be looking in one place to fill the gap that Trump and Congressional Republicans will create: the super rich who keep getting richer at the expense of the rest of us.

The fact is that billionaires and millionaires in New York can and should pay their fair share – there’s plenty of wealth in this state, but it’s controlled by a tiny number of very powerful people.

Ordinary New Yorkers are already facing underfunded schools, inadequate housing, insufficient services for immigrants and lack of other basic needs.

It’s more clear than ever: we need fair-share tax polices right now, in this year’s state budget.

The expanded Millionaires Tax, the New York City Mansion Tax and a state-level surtax to close the carried interest loophole can raise the money to boost our economy, strengthen New York’s health care system, invest in public schools, housing, infrastructure and pay for desperately needed immigrant services.

We can’t wait for economic fairness – we need to build it now, starting on April 1.”

The statement comes on the heels of a letter signed last week by 40 of New York’s wealthiest citizens in support of the proposed expansion of the tax.

Pointing out the need for this measure to pass, the letter asked for a “1 percent plan for tax fairness.”

“As New Yorkers who have contributed to and benefited from the economic vibrancy of our state, we have both the ability and the responsibility to pay our fair share,” they said.

The Strong Economy for All Coalition consists of DC 37, Citizen Action of New York, New York Communities for Change, Make the Road New York, Long Island Progressive Coalition, Vocal-NY, Alliance for Quality Education, Coalition for Educational Justice, Center for Popular Democracy, Local Progress NY, CDPAANYS, Community Voices Heard, Align-NY, Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State, New York State Council of Churches, and the Working Families Party New York.