End Religious Exemptions, Build the Commons: A New York for All

We call for a New York grounded in the ecological commons—the shared resources, land, and institutions that belong to all of us. This means ending all public funding for religious discrimination and building secular, cooperative spaces where everyone can participate as equals, free from hierarchy. No taxpayer money for exclusion. Public funds must never subsidize religious exemptions that deny contraception, abortion, or LGBTQ+ care. We demand an end to religious refusal loopholes, public funding for religious schools and social services that impose dogma, and security grants for sectarian properties. Community safety is mutual aid—not state support for exclusion. Build the commons we all need. Loneliness is a public health crisis. We demand: expand the NY BRICKS program for secular multi-age hubs; pass a "Right to Establish" law for community land trusts and ecovillages; launch "Nature & Nurture" pilots uniting youth and seniors in gardens and land stewardship; fund trauma-informed, secular mental health first aid in every community. For autistic trans New Yorkers, the commons must be truly common. Autistic trans people face compounded barriers: neuronormative bias in healthcare, routine denial of gender-affirming care, and exclusion from community spaces that demand neurotypical conformity. For autistic trans people of color, these harms are magnified by racism and poverty. A secular, cooperative commons means healthcare and community spaces that respect every body and every mind—without religious or neuronormative gatekeeping. New York is currently failing on these demands. The State has backed down from enforcing its abortion coverage mandate against religious employers. The NYC Council has called for repealing the Blaine Amendment—the very provision that prevents taxpayer funding of religious schools. The State has funneled $60 million to religious security grants and proposed another $35 million. There is no "Right to Establish" law for ecovillages or land trusts. And mental health support remains fragmented, not the comprehensive, secular, trauma-informed system we need. To those who call this "anti-faith": We defend belief—but no belief justifies denying others care, housing, or dignity. To those who say it's unaffordable: The cost of isolation, medical debt, and discrimination is far higher. This is a grassroots vision—faith groups, disability justice organizations, and labor unions are united. In 2026, voters will remember who stood for a free, fair, and flourishing New York.