Jumaane Williams: The Most Progressive Candidate
Words by Adrian Barroso
Image Courtesy of The New York Times
As the New York State primary approaches, one candidate is standing out more than the rest. Jumaane Williams, a CUNY-Brooklyn College alum, is running against a long list of democratic and republican candidates to replace current Governor Kathy Hochul.
Williams, who graduated from Brooklyn College with a B.A. in Political Science, has been critical about the issues that have been plaguing CUNY over the last few years. During his first term as public advocate, Williams released a report that addressed the underfunding of CUNY and the impact it has on students attending.
The report highlights the financial issues CUNY students must endure, “Given these developments, CUNY students have been increasingly stuck shouldering the financial burden of attending an institution of higher education.” The report further mentions the issues graduate students face due to the lack of state funding, “Though tuition remains relatively low for in-state students and CUNY students typically graduate with limited student loan debt, non-tuition costs – namely housing and food – can set back students and their families tens of thousands of dollars a year.”
Jumaane Williams is an active supporter of the New Deal for CUNY. When he ran for public advocate, he was endorsed by the Professional Staff Congress (PSC), a union that represents CUNY faculty and staff. As governor, Williams plans to give more state funding to future young New Yorkers, this includes passing a New Deal for CUNY and SUNY.
With the primaries approaching, many students on campus are voting for governor for the first time. Architecture student Yahya says, “I’d rather vote for Jumaane Williams in June. He sounds like a solid candidate who actually wants to help the people of New York.” English student Rochelle Smith says, “Jumaane Williams is trying to make it easier for students to pay their tuition. Even though CUNY is not that expensive, many people I know still struggle to pay.”
On June 23rd, voters across the state will vote to decide who will be on the final ballot on November 8th. A total of five democrats are running for governor including Kathy Hochul, who hopes to continue as governor and stay in office for four more years. Five republicans are also running including Former Westchester Executive Rob Astorino and the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Andrew Giuliani.
