- More than 1 million adult New York City residents can't participate in local elections. That is 20% of adult New Yorkers and more than the population of 11 states! Is this really democracy?
- Every year, immigrants pay $ 18.2 billion in New York State income taxes at the exact same tax rate as their citizen neighbors. This is taxation without representation.
- More and more immigrants are joining and supporting labor unions, but can’t effectively demand that their elected officials support the legislation suggested by their union to provide affordable housing, high-quality education and access to health care in our neighborhoods.
- Immigrants voted in all elections for the first 150 years of U.S. history. Non-citizen parents voted in school board elections in New York City for more than 40 years until school boards were disbanded in 2003.
- There is nothing in either the U.S. or the New York State Constitution that prevents us from changing the law to allow immigrants to vote.
- In over 40 countries around the world and in 6 cities in Maryland, immigrants can vote.
- The Voting Rights Restoration Act (Intro 2006-245) was reintroduced into the New York City Council in April of 2006. The bill currently has a number of legislative supporters.
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