New Yorkers no longer believe the myth that hard work guarantees a prosperous life.
People work long hours, raise kids, care for loved ones, and hold communities together, yet life in New York is a monthly crisis. Rent, utilities, and groceries keep climbing; child care costs more than college; a single illness can push a family to the brink. Meanwhile, billionaires and corporations get tax breaks and pay less than the people keeping New York running.
This isn’t the result of bad luck or global forces beyond our control. It’s the outcome of 50 years of trickle-down economics that starved support systems for most people and facilitated the accumulation of immense wealth in the hands of the very few. Basically, our government helped the rich get richer while working families got screwed. This is not sustainable. A society built on constant crisis and insecurity is bound to fail. Enough!
New York is one of the richest states, but also one of the most unequal. New York has the highest concentration of billionaires, while the state’s child poverty rate is one of the worst in the nation. It is time that our leaders commit to guaranteeing economic stability and safety for all, not just the rich. That’s why we’re advancing the New York Working Families Guarantee — a vision to make New York a place where working families know that their government actually has their back.
Earlier this month, Gov. Hochul gave her State of the State address and proposed solutions to the affordability crisis, but failed to ask the ultra-rich to contribute their fair share of taxes to this effort. Her approach begs the question: will we continue trickle-down policies, or will we commit to turning the tide of inequality by taxing the rich and corporations to guarantee that every New Yorker has a home they can afford, health care they can rely on, universal child care, and real safety in their communities?
Let’s start with housing. Rent is eating up paychecks, pushing families out, and hollowing out our workforce. We need rent control that protects everyone and a serious commitment to building homes that working people can afford.
Health care isn’t any better. Congressional Republicans cut health care subsidies in order to give tax cuts to billionaires. As a result, insurance premiums are skyrocketing, and millions of people will lose their health care. This crisis requires a bold approach that recognizes that the current system is broken. Instead of Band-Aid solutions, this is the moment for New York to build a system that prioritizes health over profits and guarantees health care for every New Yorker.
Then there’s child care. Costs are crushing families and pushing parents out of the workforce, while workers are underpaid and overworked. Hochul’s recent child care announcement commits significant investments, but we must continue until we have truly universal child care that allows families to afford life in New York.
Finally, economic stability goes hand in hand with safety for all, including immigrant New Yorkers. President Trump’s mass deportation agenda is putting everyone at risk. Our state and local governments cannot be passive. They must use their power to hold ICE accountable for their rogue and dangerous tactics, and refuse to facilitate Trump’s campaign of terror. Protecting immigrant families is humane and necessary for safe and stable communities.
Our commitment to a Working Families Guarantee is about setting a vision of what New York must do to become a place where working families can afford to live, feel safe, and thrive. It sets a standard for leadership and a litmus test for elected leaders.
Some critics will say this is unrealistic. The government can’t guarantee a stable life. But our economy already runs on guarantees — they’re just reserved for the powerful. Banks get bailouts. Corporations get tax breaks, subsidies, and legal shields. When markets wobble, the government rushes to protect those at the top.
The problem isn’t that guarantees don’t work. It’s that working people are told they don’t deserve them. The question for our leaders is simple: are you serious about building a New York where ordinary people can afford to grow old with dignity, or are you content with a status quo that works only for the ultra-rich?
Working families have waited long enough for a government that has their back. Now is the moment to commit to new guarantees, backed by policy and paid for by a tax system where the rich pay their fair share. That’s what voters are asking for, what this moment demands, and what New Yorkers deserve.
Archila and Gripper are the co-directors of the New York Working Families Party.
