[OccupyCU] tax day protest invitation - Tues April 17th

[Ricky Baldwin]

Thanks, Mike and Ian,

Unfortunately, as happens so often lately, I am unable to attend the GA.  I have to drive to Chicago Friday evening for work.  If the GA would lik eto cosponsor, great.  If not, once again, I hope that some folks will still choose to join in.  Thanks!

Ricky
________________________________
From: Michael Weissman [mbwmbwmbw at gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 12:00 PM
To: Ian K
Cc: Ricky Baldwin; OccupyCU at lists.chambana.net
Subject: Re: [OccupyCU] tax day protest invitation - Tues April 17th

Cosponsorship sounds great.

I teach at 5 on Tu, so will only catch the start, but maybe we could do a slightly specialized leaflet.

On Thu, Apr 12, 2012 at 11:20 AM, Ian K <iankdavis at gmail.com<mailto:iankdavis at gmail.com>> wrote:
Hi Ricky,

Regressive taxation is a crucial and under-appreciated issue. I am glad you are calling attention to it. I will post this event to the occupycu.org<http://occupycu.org> calendar for general perusal. Co-sponsorship and "endorsements" will need to come from the GA which is meeting on Friday at 6 in the Champaign public library. I hope you can bring it to the meeting.

Solid,

IKD
occupycu.org<http://occupycu.org>


On Thu, Apr 12, 2012 at 10:45 AM, Ricky Baldwin <rbaldwin at seiu73.org<mailto:rbaldwin at seiu73.org>> wrote:
Fellow Occupiers,

My union and a statewide "StandUp Coalition" (that is focussed on ditching Illinois's so-called "flat" tax rate in favor of taxing the rich more) would like to invite you and anybody you could bring to a small protest and leaflet-passing event at the main Champaign Post Office this coming Tuesday April 17th, 4-6pm.

This is a simple one.  If we would like "Occupy C-U" to be a co-sponsor, that's fine.  If not, we'd be happy if some folks just show up and mayber help pass out some leaflets.

The issue is this: in Illinois we have, on paper, a "flat" tax, i.e. everybody pays a flat 5% or their income.  In reality, the 1% pays considerably less than than that - usually half or less - because of deductions for business expenses, tax shelters of various kinds, and because some more expensive items they have access to are not taxed like the items the rest of us buy (diaper service as opposed to buying diapers, for example).  That's not even counting the huge chunk of the 1%'s income that doesn't "count" as income because it comes from capital gains.

What this means in practice is that Illinois relies more heavily on other taxes - like sales taxes - that hit the poor harder.  Once again, the poor pay more.

I probably don't need to belabor the point to you guys.  But I do want to point out that even in Mississippi, where I'm from, the state has three tax tiers - 3% for low income, 4% for the middle, and 5% for the wealthy - far more progressive than the Illinois "flat" tax.  And most states around Illinois have more progressive taxes, too.

So that's the issue.  If you want to come out, I'd personally love to see some fellow Occupiers there.  Thanks!

Para el pueblo-
Ricky

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