WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES JULY 23, 2020 7
A fast worth a thousand lives
BY PARAVELLA SIMOTAS
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated
the public health emergency
in our most vulnerable communities.
New York City has been shut
down for over 120 days. Thousands of
New Yorkers are left months behind
on rent, with no income to pay for food,
diapers or any basic resources needed
to survive this crisis.
Immigrant New Yorkers are the
backbone of New York’s economy, yet
they have been hit the hardest by the
pandemic. Both working on the frontlines
against the COVID-19 pandemic
OP-ED
and excluded from any federal or state
economic relief stimulus, immigrant
communities are deprived of the necessities
they need and deserve.
While hundreds of thousands of
New Yorkers and small businesses are
struggling to stay afl oat, billionaires’
collective wealth increased by over
$565B since the crisis began. We cannot
continue to ignore the mounting costs
of economic inequality — such glaring
disparity needs to be addressed headon
.T
he Billionaire Wealth Tax/Worker
Bailout legislation (S8277 | A10414) is
a viable, responsible solution that can
raise over $5.5B to provide retroactive,
emergency income replacement for
workers who are excluded from unemployment
benefi ts. By ensuring that the
118 billionaires living in New York pay
their fair share, we can assist countless
working-class New Yorkers — many of
whom have sacrifi ced their own wellbeing
to allow the rest of us to practice
social distancing indoors — to survive.
I began a fast on July 16 at noon to
stand with countless immigrant day
laborers, domestic cleaners, food
service workers, clergy and my legislative
colleagues to demand that Governor
Cuomo #MakeBillionairesPay to
#FundExcludedWorkers. I encourage
all of my colleagues who have a role in
shaping public policy to attempt what I
did and see how far you get — experiencing
hunger really puts priorities in
perspective. It is my hope that the fast
that so many New Yorkers experienced
will amplify this cause, raise awareness,
and draw attention to the importance
of passing the Billionaire Wealth Tax/
Worker Bailout.
We have failed our immigrant communities
for too long and it is past time
to make it right.
Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas
represents parts of western Queens, including
Astoria and parts of Long Island
City.
SNAPS
DUSK AT KISSENA PARK
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