Pro-Palestine March Down Main Street In Beacon | Saturday, Feb 3, 12pm, Pohill Park

Beacon's Demonstration For A Free Palestine! Ceasefire Now!
End the Genocide! End the Occupation! End the Apartheid! Free Palestine!
Day: Saturday, February 3, 2024
Time: 12pm start
Location: Pohill Park (Main Street and Wolcott near Bank Square Coffee)
From the organizers at Next Up Hudson Valley: "We need to wage peace the way they wage war. Join us this Saturday as we continue to disrupt the normalcy in Beacon, New York. #FreePalestine 🍉✊🏾"
Information >

Hundreds Protest Outside Pat Ryan’s Kingston Office Demanding Permanent Ceasefire and Defunding of Israeli Military

Photo from video posted at Kingstonwalk4blacklives

Photo credit: Shadia Fayne Wood

After 90 days of Israel’s murderous assault on Gaza, pressure is growing to end U.S. support for military aid to Israel. On January 5, 2024, hundreds of protesters packed the street in front of the Congressman Pat Ryan’s (District 18 which includes Beacon) Wall Street office in Kingston, NY to call for a permanent ceasefire and end to Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 22,000 Palestinians in the past 90 days.

Constituents dropped 3 banners from the roof of the office building, one of which listed hundreds of names of Palestinians killed in Gaza. The other banners read: “90 days. 22,000 killed” and “Pat Ryan: Stop the Genocide.”
Photo Credits: Shadia Fayne Wood

“I wake up each morning worrying about whether my family and friends in Gaza will see another sunrise. How many more Palestinians have to die before my elected officials take action to stop sending our tax dollars to bomb my family?”

— Abdullah Qotate

“I wake up each morning worrying about whether my family and friends in Gaza will see another sunrise,” said Abdullah Qotate, a resident of Goshen, New York, who also spoke at the disruption of the Swearing-In Ceremony at the Gardiner Town Hall. “How many more Palestinians have to die before my elected officials take action to stop sending our tax dollars to bomb my family?”

Photo Credit: Found at @Celebrate.845

Demonstrators amassed at the Ulster County Legislative Building before marching to Congressman Pat Ryan’s office at 307 Wall Street where they attempted to speak to staff in the office before assembling tents around the entrance of Ryan’s office calling attention to the forced displacement of 1.9 million Palestinians or over 85% of Gaza’s population. Protesters sat among the tents with signs reading:

• “Stop Starving Gaza,”

• “No Money for Massacres,”

• “Ceasefire: Shine a Light” while speakers read a list of names of Palestinians killed and held a moment of silence.

“Every person who died today would have been saved if there had been a ceasefire yesterday. We are putting our bodies on the line today in the streets of Kingston because, as American Jews, we cannot stand by and be silent while Israel destroys entire neighborhoods in the name of Jewish safety with funding from the U.S. government. Starving the people of Gaza, bombing hospitals, and making millions homeless is unconscionable – and I implore our elected officials to represent our values,” Andrew Hiller, Mid-Hudson Valley Democratic Socialists of America.

“We are putting our bodies on the line today in the streets of Kingston because, as American Jews, we cannot stand by and be silent while Israel destroys entire neighborhoods in the name of Jewish safety with funding from the U.S. government. Starving the people of Gaza, bombing hospitals, and making millions homeless is unconscionable – and I implore our elected officials to represent our values.”

— Andrew Hiller

According to the organizer’s press release: “As the civilian death toll in Gaza increases daily, Rep. Pat Ryan faces growing pressure from voters to support a permanent ceasefire and end of military aid to Israel. On January 2, a swearing-in ceremony for local officials presided over by Mr. Ryan was disrupted by a large group of concerned constituents who unfurled a banner reading “permanent ceasefire” (read more about that here on ALBB) in front of his podium. His offices in Kingston, Newburgh, and Poughkeepsie have all been the sites of large ceasefire demonstrations in the past three months (including this one from Beaconites), drawing hundreds of local residents, from across all faiths and backgrounds, who insist that Mr. Ryan do more to ensure that no more U.S. tax dollars go toward funding genocide. While Mr. Ryan has publicly stated that he desires to see lasting peace in the region, he has stopped short of calling for any concrete measures that will end the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.”

“We at Jewish Voice for Peace – Hudson Valley demand an immediate unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration must also refrain from sending any more weapons to the Israeli government. Pat Ryan should know the majority of Americans are with us: 61% of likely voters, including a majority of Democrats (76%) and Independents (57%) and a plurality of Republicans (49%), support the U.S. calling for a permanent ceasefire as of a Dec 5 poll. We mourn for the Palestinian and Israeli civilians killed, and we continue to fight with everything we have for the living,” said Margie Leopold, Jewish Voice for Peace - Hudson Valley.

Friday’s demonstration was organized by a broad coalition from across the region: Mid-Hudson Valley Democratic Socialists of America, Jewish Voice for Peace - Hudson Valley, Wednesday Walk 4 Black Lives, Middle-East Crisis Response, Mid-Hudson Islamic Community, Veterans For Peace - Hudson Valley, Communist Party - HV, Vassar SJP, and Poughkeepsie4Palestine. The founder of Poughkeepsie4Palestine, Rahul Daniyal Kumar, is a ninth grader at Oakwood Friends School interested in Political Science, Government, and Modern Middle Eastern Studies.

Protesters closed the event vowing to return as many times as it takes until a permanent ceasefire is declared.

Photo Credit: Veekas Ashoka

Pat Ryan Disrupted At Swearing In Ceremony At Gardiner Town Hall By Constituents Demanding Permanent Ceasefire and End To Military Aid To Israel

Photo Credit: NewPaltzStudentsForPalestine

As reported by KingstonWalk4BlackLives, on January 2, 2024, constituents of Congressman Pat Ryan (District 18) disrupted a swearing-in ceremony at Gardiner Town Hall officiated by the congressman “to demand that the congressman immediately and unconditionally support a permanent ceasefire and no military aid to Israel.”

“Congressman, I’m your constituent. My family and friends are being killed in Gaza. How many Palestinians have to die before you support a ceasefire?”

— Abdallah Qotate

NewPaltzStudentsForPalestine, which is a coalition of antifascists working to bring attention to Israel’s ongoing genocidal occupation of Palestine, also published video with reporting, stating: “Today one of our members linked up with some local comrades to disrupt an event hosted in Gardiner by our local Representative Pat Ryan, a vocal defender of the Israeli regime who has voted repeatedly to send billions of dollars to Israel while his own constituents experience poverty and homelessness. Despite being almost physically assaulted at times by several Zionists who attended the event, we held firm and let Pat Ryan know that he cannot expect to cruise to reelection while brazenly ignoring his constituents.”

“The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have killed more than 22,000 Palestinians since October 7, 2023. Congressman Ryan has yet to call for an unconditional permanent ceasefire.”

Abdallah Qotate, a Goshen resident, went to the front of the room to ask: “Congressman, I’m your constituent. My family and friends are being killed in Gaza. How many Palestinians have to die before you support a ceasefire?” In the middle of his sentence, a man yelled sharply: “SIT DOWN! Sit Down.” followed by a “Shut-up! Just sit down!” by an older white woman in the front of the room, followed by a “Shame!” by somebody else. Another man whispered: “You’re just increasing his popularity.”

Those in favor of Palestinian lives in the audience began shouting: “How many Palestinians have to die?”

“As a Jew, I know that calling for an end to genocide is not anti-semetic. Never again means never again to anyone. Shame on Pat Ryan. I voted for Pat Ryan and I don’t know how he can sleep at night having experienced the horrors of war firsthand and knowing there’s an active genocide happening in Palestine.”

— Adam Lipsky

A large banner reading “Permanent Ceasefire” was unfurled at the front of the room, in front of Congressman Ryan. Immediately, the older white woman who shouted “Shut-up! Just sit down!” stood in front of the banner to try to block it from view. A white man in a red and black flannel shirt and khaki pants who was seated next to her also stood in front of the banner and attempted to spread his coat in front of the banner. When the banner holders moved in front of the woman blocking, she came out from under the banner to stand in front of it again. Eventually, the man in the red plaid shirt approached a camera filming before the camera shut off.

Adam Lipsky, a Highland resident, also spoke up, saying: “As a Jew, I know that calling for an end to genocide is not anti-semetic. Never again means never again to anyone. Shame on Pat Ryan.” Adam also said: “I voted for Pat Ryan and I don’t know how he can sleep at night having experienced the horrors of war firsthand and knowing there’s an active genocide happening in Palestine.”

According to KingstonWalk4BlackLives, constituents stayed in the room for fifteen minutes, chanting:

“Ryan Ryan, you can’t hide,
We charge you with genocide!”

50 Beacon Jewish Voters and Kids Dedicate Hanukka’s 8th Night To Demand Call For Ceasefire From Pat Ryan

The weeks after October 7, 2023 have been confusing and ever-changing. The feelings of which remain daily. Locally in Beacon, everyone wanted to protect their neighbor - Jewish, Muslim - Arab - to ensure their safety. Protests started in the name of Palestine, led by some Jewish and Palestinian community leaders, like this one in October outside of Congressman Pat Ryan’s office, and this one after the Thanksgiving “ceasefire pause,” also outside of Pat Ryan’s office. The Congressman has yet to call for a ceasefire or give any acknowledgement of the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians, and targeted of others (like journalists).

In response to Pat Ryan’s silence, more Beaconites in the Jewish community began to mobilize, resulting in a ceasefire lighting of the menorah on the 8th and final night of Hanukkah outside of Pat Ryan’s office in Newburgh Thursday evening.

At first, an artsy Ceasefire Menorah sign emerged on social media. The adhesive bling and glitter tape placed at odd angles indicated this was a sign made by children in sincerity, trying to stop the bombing. This is classic Beacon style, for those who were in Beacon during the days of the bicycle sculpture menorah.

Said one participant about the genesis of the organizing: “A local group of Beacon Jews are upset by what is happening in Gaza, and want Pat Ryan to act to stop it.”

Kids from Beacon, Cold Spring and possibly elsewhere wrote on cards their reasons for why they were there and wanted the bombing to stop. Said one Beacon kid: “I support ceasefire because too many people have died.” Said one kid from Cold Spring: “I support ceasefire because what is happening is horrible.”

View fullsize

View fullsize

Said a voter from Beacon: “I support ceasefire because my Jewish values demand it!”

The cards were taped to Pat Ryan’s office window. Cards have been taped to his windows after other protests. Removing them and having them reappear must feel like the scene in Harry Potter when the owls keep delivering the message, despite the messages getting thrown away.

The artist Mimi Fortunato, who describes herself as an artist/educator disrupting systemic racism that perpetuates educational, environmental, economic inequities, painted a cape that she wore to the evening.

Representative Maloney Offers Help To Loved Ones Trying to Leave Afghanistan, and Acknowledges Mistakes

Representative Sean Maloney issued a statement regarding Afghanistan. It has been published in full below:

Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, released the following statement on the developing situation in Afghanistan.

“No one watching the heartbreaking images out of Afghanistan should deny that mistakes have been made, which require immediate correction, but I continue to believe the President has made the right decision in bringing our troops home from Afghanistan and I applaud him for tackling this difficult but necessary project.

“For 20 years, thousands of U.S. troops have fought and sacrificed to bring the perpetrators of the 9/11 terror attacks to justice. We successfully killed the mastermind of that attack and destabilized Al Qaeda’s operations across the middle east.

“The last two decades of war have come at a great cost to our U.S. service members and their families. It is harrowing to see the Afghan government fall after countless Americans sacrificed so much to help the Afghan people and to provide the government the resources and training necessary to take control of their country and build a better future.

“There has been clear, bipartisan agreement that we could not stay in Afghanistan indefinitely. Right now, our top priority must be the safe return of U.S. civilians, service members, diplomats, and Afghan allies. The Biden administration must put forth the resources necessary to complete this effort.

"I will continue to monitor this developing situation and will be briefed as a member of the House Intelligence Committee in the near future.”

If you or a loved one needs assistance leaving Afghanistan, please contact my office at 845-561-1259 or complete this form.

Newburgh to Beacon Ferry Will Run Again! CARES Act + American Rescue Plan Act Earmarked For MTA

MTA MONEY FROM FEDERAL GOVT SINCE PANDEMIC
Rep. Maloney voted to pass the CARES Act in March of last year, which generated funding for different sectors, some of which the MTA is receiving:

$4.35 billion via The CARES Act: Allocated $4.35 billion to New York in Transportation Funds. $3.8 billion of those funds went exclusively to the MTA.

$6 billion via The American Rescue Plan Act: The American Rescue Plan Act, which Rep. Maloney voted to pass in February, dedicated over $6 billion to the MTA.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, Metro-North implemented an Essential Service Plan and discontinued service on both ferries. This summer, readers of A Little Beacon Blog have written in to ask if the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry is running (signage and website were not updated), and if it would run again.

This Monday (7/19/2021), the MTA announced that they were reopening the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry, as well as the Haverstraw-Ossining ferry services, scheduled to resume on Monday, August 30, just one day after Metro-North's overall service increase, which will increase train service to 83% of pre-pandemic levels.

“We are so excited to see the region continue to recover, and our weekday ridership has increased steadily all spring and into the summer,” President Rinaldi said. “Our late August service increase will provide even more travel options for people ready to return to the office after Labor Day. Restoring ferry service during weekday peak periods will give our Rockland and Orange County customers returning to work additional options for getting to and from the City and other destinations along Metro-North’s Hudson Line.”

"People are coming back to work and NY Waterway ferries are here to give them a safe, fast and convenient commute. We’re thrilled to restart the Haverstraw-Ossining and Newburgh-Beacon service with Metro-North, and we look forward seeing all our past riders, and many more new ones, back aboard in August," said Armand Pohan, CEO, President and Chairman of NY Waterway.

Funding From CARES Act And American Rescue Plan Act Earmarked For MTA

In an emailed press release, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney highlighted the reinstatement of ferry service between Newburgh and Beacon, where he celebrated “the essential funding he secured for the MTA and Metro-North in the American Rescue Plan and CARES Acts that has enabled service to resume at close to full capacity,” stated in his press release sent Wednesday (7/21/2021).

Said Rep. Maloney: “Folks are going back into the office, and they need safe, reliable, and fast transportation to get there. Getting Metro-North up and running at full capacity is key to New York’s economic recovery,” said Rep. Maloney. “The MTA saw steep declines in ridership, expensive sanitation efforts, and a massive budget shortfall during the pandemic. I worked hard to deliver the funding necessary to help fill that deficit and get operations back to normal. Now, we are seeing the impact of that investment. We’re not at 100% yet, but thanks to the nearly $10 billion I helped secure in Washington, we are getting close.”

The CARES Act, which Rep. Maloney voted to pass in March of last year, allocated $4.35 billion to New York in Transportation Funds. $3.8 billion of those funds went exclusively to the MTA. Amtrak additionally received approximately $1 billion to meet funding needs after a decline of ridership on the Northeast Corridor and long-distance routes due to COVID-19.

The American Rescue Plan Act, which Rep. Maloney voted to pass in February, dedicated over $6 billion to the MTA, as well as $4 million for New York Stewart International Airport.

MTA Announced No Scheduled Fair Hike

Also on Monday, Gothamist reported that the MTA announced that they decided not to impose a previously scheduled and postponed fair hike. From the article:

“The MTA announced Monday that a previously postponed fare hike will not happen at all in 2021. MTA board member Larry Schwartz, who chairs the finance committee and is a close confidante and adviser to Governor Cuomo, said it would be inappropriate to raise fares, during Monday’s MTA committee meetings. Larry was also at the heart of a vaccination question on counties during the spotlight on Cuomo for alleged sexual inappropriateness in the spring of 2021.

“Now is not the time to raise fares,” Schwartz said Monday. “At a time when we need to encourage increasing ridership, raising fares does the opposite.”

After receiving so much money through the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan Act, as spelled out by Rep. Maloney in this week’s press release, it appears that they may not need to add that cost to people.

MTA Timetables For Re-Opening Services

According to the MTA’s 7/19/2021 announcement about the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry, the Augst 30th date is part of their logic on staggered openings. “Upcoming Aug. 29 service increase follows up on service increases reflected in Metro-North's April 12 and June 21 timetables. The April 12 timetables saw the restoration of weekend service to Wassaic and the reopening of the Manitou station, located near Bear Mountain Bridge and Anthony’s Nose. The June 21 timetables added 24 new peak trains on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven Lines, bringing the railroad to 67% of its pre-pandemic service levels.”

Schedules for the Haverstraw-Ossining and Newburgh-Beacon ferries will be made available in early August. Perhaps the MTA will also update the printed signage in the Beacon location as well! And perhaps they will consider opening weekend service for trips across the river to visit the sister cities of Beacon and Newburgh!

Beacon’s Mayor Kyriacou Responds To Teamster 445 Letter Regarding Acting Police Chief Decision

Just 24 hours after the Teamsters Local 445 issued their open letter on social media, Beacon’s Mayor Kyriacou issued the following press release on Tuesday evening. It is published in full below.

It appears that the parties involved - the Beacon PBA, Teamsters Local 445, and the Mayor and City Council have not had a meeting sitting around a table together. Perhaps as policy reforms happen, they will. Until then, the method of letters and press releases seems to be the method of communication.

Beacon’s police officers have attended 2 City Council meetings in order to answer questions and provide feedback to the City Council as the group dives in to understand how the department works before making any decisions or recommendations, including current Lieutenant Figlia who has provided helpful information and feedback.

---

Beacon City Mayor Lee Kyriacou expressed disappointment that the police union is resorting to intimidation and escalation – exactly the opposite behavior of what is appropriate in today’s charged environment.  The Mayor pointed out that such belligerent tactics do not represent the training or behavior of the city’s police officers, and that his door remains open to calm, constructive discussion.

Late yesterday, just before a City Council meeting, some City officials became aware of a letter posted online – but not actually sent to anyone in the City – from the Teamsters Local 445 and the City of Beacon Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association.  One newspaper called seeking a response before the Mayor had even seen or read a copy.  

Upon review of the material today, which contain non-specific and unsupported assertions, the Mayor made the following statement:

“I have supported the honorable men and women of the Beacon Police Department from my first day in office six months ago.  In hundreds of individual interactions with officers since then, my first words have always been ‘thank you’ and most recently, ‘I appreciate the difficult situation you are in.’  That support continues unabated – and is never inconsistent with either listening to the concerns of our community or asking questions to consider what change may be needed.

“I am deeply disappointed by the approach of the police union, which has resorted to intimidation and escalation in a highly charged environment – where the community-building approach should be outreach and dialogue.  Neither I nor the City Administrator has received a single meeting request, call or email from the leadership of the PBA, requesting a discussion or anything else.  Other than a statement from the PBA that I offered to read at a protest, I have heard nothing from them.

“Our police officers are all trained in and must practice de-escalation.  The police union tactics ignore de-escalation training – at a time when our community needs to come together.  I would encourage them to reach out and be constructive – my door remains open for calm, honest discussion.

“The PBA’s dissatisfaction came to light immediately upon the unanimous appointment of former Beacon Lieutenant William Cornett as Acting Police Chief, to fill in for the short-notice retirement of our chief and captain.  I chose someone with a long history in the Beacon police, with a record of integrity and transparency, and with no interest in continuing in the role.  That choice safeguards our community, our police department and the City, as we search for permanent leadership.  If the PBA is disgruntled at not being able to hand-pick leadership, that simply reflects their failure to engage in dialogue as well as unrealistic expectations.”

“Finally, let me reiterate some of the things I have said in public.  I have repeatedly discussed the department’s successful completion of a lengthy U.S. Department of Justice oversight process, as well its continuing accreditation by the NYS Law Enforcement Accreditation Program – the latter an achievement shared by only a handful of local departments.  And while anyone who has observed me on City Council knows I am incredibly protective of spending taxpayer dollars, I have made no definitive statements regarding funding levels of the police department going forward. 

“Again, my door remains open.”

Teamsters Local 445, Who Represent Beacon Police, Issue Open Letter On Facebook - Without Contacting City - Regarding Mayor And City Council During Reform Period

The Teamsters Local 445, which is connected to Beacon’s Police Benevolent Association (BPA), issued an open letter to Beacon’s City Council on July 15 and published it to Facebook. According to Mayor Kyriacou, the letter was not sent to the city directly. Their letter is in response to the recent appointment of Acting Chief of Police, William Cornett. During that public appointment, a representative of Local 445, Mike Pitt, proclaimed: “We’re going to follow this closely.“

A Little Beacon Blog has reached out to the president of Beacon’s BPA, Michael Confield, for comment, but has not received a response yet. If we do, the response will be published here.

Mayor Kyriacou has since responded with a press release in response which has been published in full here, expressing “disappointment that the police union is resorting to intimidation and escalation – exactly the opposite behavior of what is appropriate in today’s charged environment.

The open letter from Teamsters Local 445 has bee republished in full below:

---

Teamsters Local 445, a public and private sector labor union based in the Newburgh, New York area, with almost 3,000 members, including about 250 members in its Law Enforcement Division in Orange, Sullivan, Ulster, and Dutchess County Police Departments, supports its law enforcement members in the City of Beacon.

On behalf of the men and women of the City of Beacon Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, we write this open letter after a majority voted to release the Association’s position. Unfortunately, circumstances have left us with no other recourse. We have lost all trust, faith, and confidence in the Mayor and City Council’s ability to lead this city and the police department during these trying times.

For the past several weeks, Mayor Kyriacou and the Council have continued their push of anti-police rhetoric and policies, which have included the thought of disarming and de-vesting police. How does one comprehend a police officer’s response to an emergency call without a weapon or protective gear?

The Mayor and Council have failed to correct untrue public accusations of police mis-conduct. This failure could lead to a wholly unfounded, dangerous reaction from the public, causing a dangerous environment for the members of the police department, as well as the public.

The Mayor and Council have shown zero support for the police department during these times. Talk of defunding or significantly cutting the department’s costs and of cutting its already dangerously low staffing level are some of the only talk they show the department. This department is an accredited police agency in New York State; an honor that few departments in the area still retain.

After the leader of the department offered to lead this accredited agency through these times without a chief in place, the Mayor and Council recently voted to appoint a temporary police chief who has not worked actively as a police officer since almost the year 2000. The Mayor and Council have stated that they want a smooth transition to the next police chief as leader of the department, but they seem to have an agency very different from minimal support, let alone different from the best interests, of the men and women who serve all day every day.

In the course of the Council meeting in which the Council voted to appoint the temporary Chief, Teamsters Law Enforcement Division representative Pitt pointed out that the certification of this appointee must have lapsed due to the length of his time not serving as a police officer since retirement in 2000. As per General Municipal Law 209-q, the certification required for police officers by law lapses after four (4) years. Without that certification, the appointed temporary Chief “lacks the power to execute arrest and search warrants, make arrests without a warrant and use physical or deadly force in making an arrest when necessary”; he “may not lawfully carry a firearm without a license if he is not certified as a police officer.” 2003 N.Y. Op. (Inf.) Atty’ Gen. 1. If this Chief sees a crime being committed, he cannot make an arrest; he needs to call the police.

The Council has spoken about reform, but you cannot have reform without funding. You do not deescalate by defunding the police. If you want the most qualified and most trained officers on your street, you cannot defund yet expect to keep, not to mention improve, the quality and level of service that these men and women currently give this great city.

In closing, we would like to reiterate that the men and women of the Beacon City Police Department PBA have lost all trust, faith, and confidence in Mayor Kyriacou and the entire City Council’s ability to lead this city.

About Teamsters Local 445 Union

Teamsters Local 445 is a public and private sector labor union based in the Newburgh, New York area, with almost 3,000 members, including about 250 members in its Law Enforcement Division in Orange, Sullivan, Ulster, and Dutchess County Police Departments.

View the original announcement on Beacon’s PBA Facebook Page.

The Stimulus Check: How It Works And Why Your Amount May Be Lower

The Economic Impact Payment, otherwise known as a stimulus payment or check, began arriving this week, with direct deposits showing as available today, April 15, 2020, the usual annual deadline for submitting taxes (The filing deadline has since been autoextended to July 15, 2020. You don’t need to do anything to get the extension, but you can still file your 2019 taxes. This is all spelled out on the IRS website.)

There are a few ways this is working. Not everyone’s amount will be the same; some who are “high-earners” will receive less, and those who haven’t filed taxes in the last two years will have a chance to file via special website in order to receive the funds.

A Little Beacon Blog is not a tax professional, so please check with your own tax professional about any decisions you make or questions you have.

Payments Are Automatic - If You Have Filed Taxes Within 2 Years And Have Direct Deposit

If you have filed taxes for 2018 or 2019, and have set up direct deposit with the IRS, then the money will hit your account connected to that Direct Deposit.

If you did not file taxes in the last two years - and you aren’t part of groups who don’t need to file taxes (explained below) - then you’ll need to file your 2019 taxes. Learn about that here.

Payments Are Paper Check

If you do not have direct deposit already set up, a paper check is being mailed. If you moved since the last time you filed, you can change your mailing address here.

People Who Don’t File Taxes Can Apply

If you did not file a 2018 or 2019 federal income tax return because your gross income was under $12,200 ($24,400 for married couples), or had no income at all, or you weren’t required to file a 2018 or 2019 federal income tax return for other reasons, you can still apply to receive a stimulus payment (click here). But, if you receive Social Security retirement, disability (SSDI), or survivor benefits, or Railroad Retirement and Survivor Benefits, you don’t need to apply, as your payment information is already hooked up, and the payment will come.

However, if you have qualifying children under 17 who you claim as a dependent, and you are part of those special groups already receiving benefits, then you do need to apply here to get the $500 child credit.

How Much Will The Stimulus Check Be?

Now we are into the nitty-gritty. The straightforward answer is $1,200 for individuals who file single, and $2,400 for couples who file jointly. But - income limits offset this, reducing the amount you will receive if you are a “high-earner.” There is also an additional $500/child credit if you claim qualifying children under 17 years old.

You should read all about the amounts of the stimulus check here, but here are some highlights from the IRS website:

$1,200* for individuals:

• Eligible individuals with adjusted gross income of up to $75,000 for single filers

• $112,500 for head of household filers

• $150,000 for married filing jointly

$2,400* married filing jointly.

*$500 paid in addition per qualifying child under 17 years old (this does not seem to be impacted by “high-earner” status).

“High-Earners”

For filers with income above those amounts, the payment amount is reduced by $5 for each $100 above the $75,000/$112,500/$150,000 thresholds. Single filers with income exceeding $99,000, $136,500 for head of household filers and $198,000 for joint filers with no children, are not eligible and will not receive payments.

Some Groups Of People Not Eligible For Stimulus Payment

People who are themselves dependents (like children or elder adults), people who don’t have Social Security Numbers, or are nonresident aliens are not eligible. Read about that here.

Receipt Of Payment

The IRS will be sending a letter 15 days after making payment, showing how your payment was calculated. Read about that here.

Should You File Your 2019 Close To The Original April 15 Deadline (aka Soonish)?

Some accountants believe you should. For the backlog of filings, if you hire an accountant to do this for you, it is probably a good idea to get in line now. According to the IRS, who continues to process electronic tax returns: “As of April 3, the IRS received over 97.4 million tax returns and issued over $213 billion in refunds.”

Especially in light of social distancing at work, even for the IRS, the IRS is urging online filing and writes about it here.

200 Beaconites Protest Justice Department Shuffle of Jeff Sessions' Replacement, Matthew Whitaker

Yesterday we reported that people were gathering at Polhill Park in Beacon to protest the appointment of Matthew Whitaker to temporarily replace Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, after Sessions submitted his resignation letter (as requested by the president, according to the first sentence in the letter Jeff Sessions submitted). A participant sent in an estimate of 200 people in attendance at Beacon’s protest, one of 900 that happened across the country.

As a bring-you-up-to-speed if you need it, Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation which is a look by federal authorities into if and how Russia influenced the 2016 election, and if the current president played a part in that in any way. Sessions has continued to do work that the president has directed him to do, but the president has openly resented Sessions for his recusal. Matthew Whitaker was the Chief of Staff under Sessions, and has vocalized wanting to end the Russia investigation. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has been protective of continuing the Russia investigation.

From a participant, Air Nonken Rhodes, we have a description of Beacon’s event, and pictures that Air took. In Air’s words:

About 200 people in total were there at the time of its largest crowd (5:30 pm), and about 80 people were there most of the rest of the time from 5 to 6:30 pm. Kids, grandparents, commuters coming off the train, people with their dogs, everyone showed up with signs and spirit to stand up against what we see as a power grab.

Conversations included how scary it is to see the checks and balances in our democracy unravel. The mood was generally light, with lots of hooting and hollering with joy whenever a car would honk in support. The commuter traffic going by was generally supportive of our signs.

A small minority shook their heads or gave thumbs-down, a dozen or so going out of their way to roll down their window in the cold air to shout curse-riddled invectives and diatribes against the protestors. A few were stunningly hateful, and took some careful explaining for the kids present. It was deeply sad to see this Trumpish incivility on our own Main Street.

One kid standing next to me asked, “Are we allowed to be here? Are we allowed to do this?” (meaning protest) and her mother explained proudly, “Yes, as Americans we have the free right of peaceable assembly and the right of free speech. We are allowed to be here and do this, and it’s very important to do so whenever something goes wrong. The President doesn’t think the rules apply to him, and we have to remind him that they do.”

Photo Credit for All Photos: Air Nonken Rhodes

Thursday's Planned Local Protest in Beacon Is One Of 900 In USA In Protest of Jeff Sessions’ Replacement, Matt Whitaker

When: Thursday, November 8, 5 pm
Where: Polhill Park, intersection of Route 9D & Main St., Beacon, NY 12508
What: Citizens protest against President Trump replacing Attorney General Jeff Sessions with Matt Whitaker

On your drive or walk home from work, if you notice a gathering of people at the intersection of Main Street and 9D known as Polhill Park, they have gathered there in protest against President Trump replacing Attorney General Jeff Sessions with Matt Whitaker, who as of yesterday, was the Chief of Staff under Sessions. This protest is one of about 900 scheduled across the country, encouraged by MoveOn.org, categorized under the theme “Nobody’s Above The Law”.

Air Nonken Rhodes, a citizen from Beacon, wrote into A Little Beacon Blog to alert us about the event, and had this to say about attending: “We are standing up against Trump's appointment of Matt Whitaker as acting Attorney General because we see it as a clear move to thwart the power of the Mueller investigation… [It is my opinion that] Whitaker has been appointed not because he will make a good acting AG, but because he will protect the President. If Trump has nothing to hide, he would allow the investigation to continue. The American public (and people around the world) have the right to know the truth about the financing and influences in the 2016 election, Russia's interference in it, and Trump's personal, family, and business connections to these issues.”