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Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Take Action for Tax Fairness

Your legislators need to hear from you right away -- before they make up their minds on two key tax fairness issues this session:

1) The first is a bill to improve the state budget process by weighing tax breaks for special interests directly against priority issues like health care and education. Our message: support! 

The Legislature approved nearly half a billion in new and extended tax breaks for special interests just in the last three years alone.  No one has weighed these tax giveaways directly against important public needs like affordable health care, quality education or transportation in the budget process. 

HB 1827/SB 6054 would make sure we have the full picture, so we can ask the tough questions about priorities and where our resources should be invested.  This is an important step toward greater accountability and should become law this year.

Take Action: Visit http://capwiz.com/wataxfairness/issues/alert/?alertid=9439146&type=ST to email your lawmakers today!

2) The second issue is a proposal that keeps our unfair property tax system that under funds essential services like fire, EMS, hospitals, schools and more. Our message: fails on two critical counts – consider other options!

Some members are in a hurry to vote in favor of the current property tax system.  They haven't taken the time to really learn about the effect of Initiative 747 but they're ready to vote to keep it in place.  They haven't fully considered the other options that would make the system fairer to lower and moderate income homeowners who are paying too much right now under I-747.  There are other ideas that need to be considered that could provide more funding for schools, fire, EMS and hospitals.  Why the rush to embrace a system that isn't fair and isn't adequate?  Slow down!

Take Action:

The House Finance Committee will be the first to vote on these bills this week, but every legislator needs to hear from constituents to help make sure he/she does the right thing.  Please take a minute to send an email message to your legislators by clicking on this link:

http://capwiz.com/wataxfairness/issues/alert/?alertid=9439146&type=ST
 

Washington CAN!


 With over 30,000 members across the state, Washington CAN! is the state’s largest grassroots community organization. Washington CAN! fights for progressive social change at the local, state, and national levels, with a focus on issues that most directly affect the lives of Washington residents. Our mission is to achieve economic fairness in order to establish a democratic society characterized by racial and social justice, with respect for diversity, and a decent quality of life for those who reside in Washington State. www.WashingtonCAN.org

 

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