Vote Green Party for State Comptroller

I am running for State Comptroller on the Green Party line to challenge the incumbent, Tom DiNapoli, over his refusal to divest the state pension funds from fossil fuels.

It makes no sense to invest funds in companies that are driving catastrophic climate change. Why invest in generating more extreme weather – rising tides, floods, hurricanes and wildfires?

Putting billions of dollars into Exxon and other fossil fuel companies is also a risky financial decision. Market funds without fossil fuels outperform those that include them. With the world having agreed to move away from fossil fuel towards renewable energy, companies like Exxon do not have a sustainable business model moving forward.

Since 350.org started the divestment campaign 5 years ago, more than 700 institutions with $6 trillion in assets have agreed to divest, including New York City and several NewYork colleges and local governments. If NewYork State had divested when we first asked it to, we would have an extra$5 billion.

We should also hold such corporate polluters liable for the damages they have caused in creating climate change, starting with a carbon tax. The state should join NYC and other municipalities in suing the fossil fuel companies.

As Comptroller, I will be an advocate for progressive revenues – higher taxes on the wealthy and lower property and sales taxes. We need to restore revenue sharing to local governments to the 8 percent level, which was legally required until a few years ago. The Comptroller should speak out when state officials fail to comply with legal requirements such as funding for schools. I would also advocate for solutions such as single-payer health care to lower costs while improving services.

When I served on my Town Board, I was able to help cut local property taxes every single year while expanding local services. I look forward to accomplishing a similar goal at the state level. One place to start as a fiscal watchdog is to curb the practice of giving billions of tax dollars in handouts to well-connected campaign contributors under the guise of “economic development.” We have far too much waste and corruption.

Mark A. Dunlea, Poestenkill