New York League of Conservation Voters and Citizens Budget Commission
(212) 361-6350, Ext. 206
For Immediate Release: September 16, 2020
Contact: Shachar Sharon, ssharon@nylcv.org
NYLCV and CBC Release Report on Aligning Policies to Reach CLCPA Goals
The report identifies many opportunities to modify existing and outdated policies that hinder New York’s progress in meeting CLCPA goals
New York, NY – Today, the Citizens Budget Commission and the New York League of Conservation Voters released a report, “Aligning Crossed Policy Wires Can Help Achieve CLCPA Goals,” identifying existing policies at odds with the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
The report identifies options to modify tax expenditures, direct state spending, and local aid to better support CLCPA goals, including:
- Reconsidering tax policies that encourage fossil fuel consumption, including sales tax exemptions for residential energy, exemptions for non-residential energy, and the sales tax cap on gasoline;
- Replacing aging fossil fuel based heating systems in public buildings with renewable energy options where cost-effective and feasible;
- Redirecting State vehicle fleet spending to support electric vehicles and charging infrastructure; and
- Refocusing economic development and local aid spending to encourage renewable energy heating and cooling, and to incentivize school districts to purchase zero-emission school buses and charging infrastructure.
“New York has set ambitious, nation-leading goals to address climate change. To meet these bold goals, our state leaders must consider our climate in all policy and funding decisions,” said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “State funding policies determine how quickly our state agencies, localities and the private sector adapt their practices to meet the CLCPA goals and address climate change. As the wildfires burning in California so sadly demonstrate, we have no time to waste when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and acting on climate.”
“Aligning policies is one of the most cost-effective ways to achieve goals,” said Andrew Rein, President of the Citizens Budget Commission. “As New York faces simultaneous public health, economic and fiscal crises, our State leaders should identify ways that restructuring tax and spending policies can support progress towards CLCPA goals and address the State’s fiscal stress.”
Click here to read the full report.
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