Sorry. I'm Occupied.

I wrote a letter to Mayor Jerry Jennings.

Dear Mr. Jennings:

I am writing to you to express my support of the Occupy movement in Albany. I am unable to attend the peaceful protests in person due to my work schedule, but am in full support of the message that members of the movement are presenting.

I will spare you with a rehashing of what the movement is all about; at this point, I am sure you are well-versed with the complaints/messages that Occupy members are expressing.

I would like, instead, to talk a little bit about myself and why, as one of the 99% (or 98% depending on who's sign you read), I feel helpless.

I obtained a Master’s of Arts in teaching degree about four years ago. I chose not to teach, for reasons that you don’t need to hear, and currently work for the county in which I live. I bought a house that I have owned now for five years. Because of the current state of the economy, I am selling my house. My mortgage increased by forty dollars a month over the last two years to cover taxes. The cost to heat my house has increased about 30 dollars a month in the last two years. I canceled cable in an attempt to save money, but my 2001 Pontiac Sunfire died and I needed to buy a replacement vehicle to use in my job. I went with a used ’08 Honda Fit, the monthly payments of which add another $140 a month that my paycheck goes to. With my education (student loans at 290 dollars a month), I can no longer afford my home, heating my home, food, and my car. In the past three years, I have not seen a raise, but have seen an increase in workload. I am working without a contract and the Board of Supervisors are refusing to negotiate any raise for county workers and are offering us a 1% increase in pay for 2013. I understand that the economy is struggling and each of us needs to do his or her part to cut corners and save, however, the only ones doing this are the ones who control a measly 1% of the country’s economy. I am losing things that I worked for because of the inequality in taxes for the people who control 99% of the country’s money.

I have gone without an increase in pay for three years and am only being offered a small amount for next year. Things that I need to live (food, heat, shelter, etc), however, are increasing in cost at a much more rapid rate.

And, Mr. Jennings, there is nothing that I can do about it.

Growing up, I understood that I had the power to effect change in my country by voting. However, that power has been decreased and the Government is no longer working for my interests. Special interest groups and large corporations are paying for politicians elections and effecting change in their favor and not in the favor of the greater good. In other words, 1% of the population is able to effect change while 99% is not. Also, 99% of the economy is NOT trickling down, as they like to say, to 99% of the population.

I cannot cut anymore corners to "do my part" in these tough economic times. There is nothing left to cut out of my life and I am not the only one in this situation. I am selling the home that I worked for and am not contributing to the economy because I can’t afford to buy things. I cannot effect change through voting. I am at a lost.

I support the Occupy movement, because it is the only way that I can attempt to make life better for myself and others in my situation.

Thank you for your time,

James Frederick