Higher Education
We live in a representative democracy — we choose our representatives, and they make policy choices on our behalf. Central to the success of any democracy is the ability of its people to be adequately informed about the issues of the day and the way in which their government works. In addition, an advanced society such as ours relies on the intellect and skills of its people to boost its economic vitality.
An important component to such successes is a quality, affordable system of higher education. NYPIRG has long promoted access to affordable, high quality college education for all students. Working with our sister organization, we have offered analyses that help make the case for enhanced state support for higher education institutions, both public and independent.
NY Health Act is our solution to universal healthcare (The Daily Orange, November 19, 2024)
New York’s health care system could soon be at a crossroad (WAMC, November 19, 2024)
Power shift in Washington, D.C., creates uncertainty for New York state budget (Spectrum News, November 15, 2024)
Election 2024: Warning signs for NY Democrats (WAMC, November 11, 2024)
Time to Take Action on Climate Change (The Daily Freeman, November 10, 2024)
New York Democrats downplay loss of state Senate supermajority, brace for impact of Trump on state policy (Spectrum News, November 7, 2024)
Democrats trying to defend supermajorities in New York Assembly and Senate (Spectrum News, November 4, 2024)
Post-election “to-do list” for Governor Hochul (WAMC, November 4, 2024)
NYS eyes new nuclear power to meet climate goals (Newsday, November 3, 2024)
NYS Commission soon to decide on salary raises for state lawmakers, officials (Newsday, November 1, 2024)
Local organizations encourage political involvement, voting on campus (The Daily Orange, October 31, 2024)
VOTE 2024: Catching up with young voters ahead of Election Day (News 12 Brooklyn, October 30, 2024)
Voting in a toxic political environment (WAMC, October 28, 2024)
Voting has begun (WAMC, October 21, 2024)
Brooklyn College Students Pressure Adams to Fix Flatbush Ave. Buses After Years of Delays (Streetsblog, October 18, 2024)
Polling Sites on College Campuses, Support for EMS Workers (New York Now, October 17, 2024)
Bus riders protest in Brooklyn for faster service down Flatbush Avenue (ABC Eyewitness News, October 17, 2024)
Will Albany get another pay raise? (WAMC, October 14, 2024)
From absentee ballots to free rides, local colleges break down barriers to get students voting (WHEC, October 12, 2024)
Put Big Oil on the hook for climate damages instead of NY taxpayers (Guest Opinion by Blair Horner) (Syracuse.com, October 9, 2024)
After Relaunching Congestion Pricing, Signing the Climate Change Superfund Act Is Next on Gov’s To-Do List
NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign Statement on Governor Hochul's decision to implement Congestion Pricing
Press Release: Bus Riders March for Faster Buses on Flatbush Avenue; Call on Mayor and City to Get it Done
A coalition of civic organizations released a letter to the State Board of Elections identifying possible failures in state law mandating that colleges with dorms have polling places. The groups urged action to ensure compliance or to strengthen the law.
A coalition of civic, environmental, social justice, and community-based charities joined with small business “redemption centers” to call on Governor Hochul and the state legislative leaders “to urge your attention and immediate action to prevent business closings and job losses by supporting legislation to boost the ‘handling fee’ that provides revenues for redemption centers, which are critical to the success of the state’s Bottle Deposit Law.”
VICTORY! On Monday, June 17, a six-year fight for clean air and public health came to an end when Danskammer Energy withdrew its application to build a new fracked gas plant on the Hudson River in Newburgh, NY.
As a dangerous heat wave grips New York, sending "feels like" temperatures soaring above 100 degrees, community leaders, local officials, and extreme weather survivors are demanding Governor Hochul take immediate action by signing the recently passed Climate Change Superfund Act (S.2129B/A.3351B) into law.
Tale of the Tape: NYPIRG's 2024 Legislative Review – The number of bills that passed in the Senate increased, while that number decreased in the Assembly. The Governor's use of emergency "messages of necessity" flattens.
NY State Assembly Passes Historic Climate Superfund Bill to Make Polluters Pay for Climate Damages
NYPIRG's Statement on Governor Hochul's Delay of Congestion Pricing
A coalition supporting improvements to the state’s Bottle Deposit Law today released a listing of over 1,000 local charities that benefit from the law. The coalition argued that these charities offer services for those in need and that modernization of the forty-year-old law would enhance the charities’ services.
A coalition supporting improving the state’s Bottle Deposit Law today released a review of recent redemption center closures. The review, conducted by redemption centers, identified 97 businesses that have closed or appear to be closed. Another 54 redemption centers had disconnected phones and no obvious social media presence. The coalition argued that many of these closures are the direct result of New York's 15 year "freeze" of the handling fee that redemption centers rely on for revenues.
NYPIRG Reacts to Speaker Heastie's Comments on Climate Change Superfund Act
A coalition of civic groups today called on the New York State Board of Elections to review the state’s polling locations to see if colleges have on-campus polls as required under the law. The letter is in reaction to the results of a survey conducted by NYPIRG.
NYPIRG analyzed 199 colleges (217 campuses, some colleges have multiple campuses) in New York State, of which 147 have dorms located on their premises. This review of the locations of polling places for college students living on-campus identifies a wide gap between those campuses that have dorms and the number that have polling places.
A statewide coalition representing hundreds of community, environmental, labor, and religious groups today applauded state Senate approval of the Climate Change Superfund Act, which requires Big Oil to cover New York's climate damages – not taxpayers. The groups urged swift action in the state Assembly. The majority of Assemblymembers are sponsors of the legislation.
News Release on NYPIRG's Recent Victory Expanding Financial Aid for Low-Income Patients
Environmental, community, and business groups representing 300 New York organizations today held a press conference to urge state lawmakers to include the "Bigger, Better, Bottle Bill" (S.237B/A6353A) as a "must do" priority for the end of session
NYPIRG Statement on Start of Congestion Pricing
NYPIRG reacted to elements of the final state budget, highlighting the "good," the "bad," and the "ugly."
Release: County & Local Elected Officials Join 180+ Organizations to Urge Governor Hochul & Assembly Speaker Heastie to End $265M of Fossil Fuel Subsidies in the Final NYS Budget