ATF STATE PARTNERS ORGANIZE RAPID-RESPONSE SEQUESTER EVENTS
This week, ATF State Partners organized rapid response events to highlight the need to raise revenues from corporations and the wealthy in order to replace the extreme sequester cuts that are hurting working families. Take a look at some of the highlights:
In Arkansas, partner Arkansas Community Organizations (ACO) worked with AFSCME and the AFL-CIO outside a Verizon store in Little Rock. Verizon is one of many corporations that exploit loopholes to pay very little in taxes, despite making billions of dollars in profit.
Linda Teeter, the executive director of partner Michigan Citizen Action, was featured on WMUK and detailed how the sequester cuts would damage public healthy and safety, and could easily be replaced with revenue from closing tax loopholes.
Virginia Organizing held a tele-press conference to call on Congress to replace the cuts with revenue. The call also included average Virginians who told listeners what the cuts would mean to them.
In Montana, Tom Torma, who works with ATF lead partner Montana Organizing Project held a roundtable press event to discuss the need for revenue options in the face of effects of the cuts on their communities:
“What it will do is push that to the local level,” said County Commissioner Jean Curtiss. “And while we have a really generous community, we also have a carrying capacity for how many times we can keep filling holes left by the federal government.”
McKellips said only $83 billion is needed to avoid the sequester, but the U.S. is losing $90 billion every year to corporate offshore tax havens, “so we can really fix the situation right there.” He called on Congress to have companies such as General Electric and Facebook pay appropriate taxes on their profits.
“It’s really unconscionable that Congress would ask middle-class families and small businesses to bear the brunt of balancing the budget rather than asking corporations to pay their fair share,” McKellips said.
Events were also held in Florida, Indiana, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Maine and Washington. Thanks to our state partners for participating!
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