The Green Party candidate for governor of New York took his campaign to Ithaca Wednesday.

Howie Hawkins is establishing himself as the alternative to Governor Andrew Cuomo.

His platform includes policies of progressive taxation, a single-payer health care system, and a 15 dollar state minimum wage.

Hawkins said Governor Andrew Cuomo’s budget and property tax relief plan is fiscally irresponsible, and places the burden on local governments.

“He’s giving tax cuts to the rich, and we are paying for it as working people,” Hawkins said.

He says the Green Party offers a real alternative to the Democrats.

“When the media wants to talk to left, they have to talk to the independent left, not just the Democratic party,” he said. “We want to get enough votes that they can’t ignore us.”

Hawkins got more than 59,000 votes when he ran for governor in 2010, surpassing the magic number of 50,000 votes needed to get on the ballot for the 2014 election.

“We have a much higher goal this time around,” Hawkins said.