Working Families party files ballot petitions

By John Bachtell

This article was reprinted from the August 22, 1998 issue of the People's Weekly World. For subscription information see below. All rights reserved - may be used with PWW credits.

NEW YORK - Standing before stacks of petitions containing nearly 60,000 signatures, a coalition of labor unions, community groups and elected officials announced they were being submitted to the Board of Elections to place the Working Families Party on the November ballot.

To create a permanent new ballot line, the party must receive 50,000 votes in the gubernatorial election.

Four candidates (all of whom are running simultaneously as Democrats) were nominated for statewide office - New York City Council Speaker Peter Vallone for governor, State Comptroller Carl McCall, State Senator Catherine Abate for attorney general, and Plattsburgh Mayor Clyde Rabideau for lieutenant governor. Several local candidates are also running on the line.

State law requires 15,000 valid signatures and at least 100 signatures from half the state's congressional districts to get on this November's ballot.

The Working Families Party turned in four times the total amount needed and at least 400 signatures from every congressional district statewide.

"The people of New York, who desperately need living wages, a clean environment, quality schools and clean government, don't want parties dominated by big money interests," said Sal Albanese, former New York City Council member and a spokesperson for the party.

"This effort demonstrated the potential power of a new political party backed by some of the major unions and community groups in the state. It is not fleeting. It is here to stay."

Jane Sweeney, vice-president of UNITE's Amalgamated Northeast Joint Board, said, "My members need the Working Families Party to fight for good schools, health care and housing."

In addition, the party also calls for an end to tax cuts for the rich, more funding for infrastructure needs, an increase in the minimum wage, open admissions at City University of New York and campaign finance reform to reduce the power of big business in elections.

"The Working Families Party is a critical vehicle to fight for all the concerns of working families," said State Sen. Vincent Gentile, a candidate on the Working Families line from a district covering part of Brooklyn and Staten Island.

"The Working Families Party," said Gwen Jacobs, president of New York ACORN, "represents New York's low-and moderate- income working families and this petition drive represents the tremendous amount of support this new effort already enjoys. . .it's an idea who's time has come!"

The signature collection included the efforts of thousands of volunteers throughout the state. Support came from such groups as the United Auto Workers, United Steelworkers of America, Communications Workers of America, American Postal Workers Union Local 1241, Amalgamated Transit Union, Hotel and Restaurant Employees Local 100, Buffalo Teachers Federation, several Teamster locals and Citizen Action.