Our April 15 press release

April 15, 2011

For immediate release

TAX DAY: MIDDLE CLASS SQUEEZED BY CORPORATE GREED

As Americans across the country seal their personal tax returns, there is a growing awareness of the unfairness of the tax code and louder demands that corporations and the very wealthy pay their fair share.

General Electric and Weyerhaeuser pay no taxes. Yet the government is contemplating sweeping cuts to medical care and higher education funding, making college harder to afford even if your straight-A student is lucky enough to be admitted.

Last week, thousands of people gathered at the state Capitol to voice their concerns with budget proposals that sought to balance the numbers with cuts to education and health care to our most vulnerable while leaving tax breaks for private jets, chicken farmers, mortgage brokers and out- of-state bankers intact. This is wrong, and people from across the state are getting educated and getting involved.

On this Tax Day, here’s a sample of what folks posted on the “Families for a Fair Economy” Facebook page:

• “Everyone should be paying the same amount of affordable taxes…and the big shots learning to live with what’s available.” – Josie A.

• “When you were small and I was tall, I took care of your needs. Not one but all. Now that we are old and gray, you legislate my needs away. END HARM....leave Medicare alone!!” – Debi O.

“I pay my taxes, and so should huge corporations like Weyerhaeuser and General Electric. We need every dollar before we cut health care and education. It’s about fairness,” said Cylvia Laybourn of Bremerton.

It’s time to stop handing public money to special interests. In this time of crisis, everyone needs to pull their weight, and get Washington back on the right track.

“Families for a Fair Economy” is a community-organizing effort by nurses, family child care providers, janitors and education service workers to bring attention to wasteful tax breaks, corporate accountability and the need to protect critical public services such as education and health care.

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