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Make sure your legislators know you join with the 49 For Fairness in supporting fair revenue solutions to WA’s budget crisis.
“Paying more in taxes will help a lot of people a whole lot more than it will hurt me. I am a 2 percenter, and I am asking for my taxes to be raised by implementing a capital gains tax.”
“I have worked for the state of Washington for 18 years and I have watched my ability to maintain a middle class standard of living decrease each year. I have watched my neighbors and fellow state employees lose their homes and go on state assistance despite being hard-working members of society. I am asking that the legislature eliminate wasteful tax breaks for oil, banking, agribusiness and other large corporations as well as ensure the wealthiest 2% pay their fair share by adopting a capital gains tax.”
“As a public employee, I have not recieved a raise in 8 years. I stood proudly by Washington State through tough economic times, and I deserve the same allegiance in return. I call on the legislature to adopt fair revenue solutions like those in HB 2224.”
“As a Certified Public Accountant, I work closely with small businesses and nonprofits throughout Eastern Washington and see up close the broken system that is our business and occupation tax. My clients are hard-working citizens carrying the water so that our corporations and oil and gas companies can enjoy state subsidies that haven’t shown to give our state an economic benefit. As a business owner and the mom of two boys in public schools, I’ve chosen to live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest because of our strong public education system and our commitment to our community. I only ask for tax fairness for everyone, and for the wealthest to pay their fair share.”
As a teacher at Renton Technical College, I watch students struggle with juggling the cost of school with the needs of their families. With every mandatory cut to the CTC system there is less opportunity for students to learn the skills needed to acheive employment. Morale at the college is at an all time low. I call on the legislature to support the working class of Washington state, and create opportunity for their consituents.
“For the past 30 years, I have been a homecare worker in Spokane. Because I’ve been a low wage worker all these years, I receive a very small social security check. I am almost 67 years old and I continue to work part time to supplement my social security. I urge the Senate to pass a budget that includes a capital gains tax so that our contract for homecare workers can be funded which would include a retirement plan. It is crucial to have a supplement to our social security so that we won’t have to work until we die.”
“We need to close loopholes and ensure corporations pay their fair share. Then, we’ll have plenty of revenue for a robust economy!”
“I am currently a student, and believe the opportunity of education should be available to all. Unfortunately, unless you are wealthy or qualify for financial aid, many are not able to afford college. I call on the legislature to pass a capital gains tax to help restructure our education system.”
“I work in law enforcement, and without public service protections in our state, our houses would burn down, people couldn’t respond to 911 calls, and people like myself would be able to respond to emergencies in prisons. We pay our fair share in taxes, the wealthiest should pay their fair share too so we can provide adequate state funded services that are so important to our communities.”
“I’ve worked for many years to build the farm-to-school program in this state, to help Washington farmers feed Washington kids. In 2008 the state provided support to help farms and schools navigate the myriad regulations at $1 million. It’s dwindled now to $125,000. We should not have to choose between feeding our kids and educating our kids, so please support a fair revenue solution.”
“I work part time at a local non-profit, my husband works at a local restaurant, and he’s graduating college with a nursing degree this quarter. Our 2 children attend a wonderful, but cash strapped elementary school, and they benefit from the state’s Apple Health program. In the past we’ve lived in State Housing Trust funded affordable housing, which was key to getting us where we are now. We pay our fair share and taxes and appreciate what revenue can do for the people of Washington – we need fair revenue solutions so that families like mine can continue to receive the short term help they need.”
“We in central Washington need rural economic developement to work. In order for it to work, all people, all corporations, all companies, need to do their duty and pay their fair share in taxes. Lets grow Washington together.”
“I work with parents who are in the lowest income bracket in the state and yet pay the largest share of taxes—7 times more than the highest-income. Like all working parents, families I work with need consistent, high-quality care for their young children. I urge the Senate to pass a budget that includes a capital gains tax so that we no longer marginalize the children and families that need us the most.”
“Nearly 1/3 of my income goes to cover taxes and my basic needs like retirement and health insurance. I pay my fair share, it’s time the wealthiest and large corporations pay their fair share too.”
“I hope all legislators give serious consideration to the much needed income generated by a tax on carbon. This is a fair way to do the right thing for the environment, residents and budget of Washington state.”
“My partner and I are providers of in home daycare. We are calling for a fix to our unfair tax system – we see how it directly affects the children in our community and those we care for. The children are the future of our country, it is an urgent necessity that we address this unfair system.”
“I’ve been a teacher for 20 years. We do not have a spending problem, we have, and have had for 20 years, a tax problem. We need a high level commission to evaluate and reconstruct our regressive tax system that hurts the poor and rewards the wealthy.”
“I am a single mother with 2 small children in public schools. I am paying 100’s of dollars for school supplies each year, just so that my kids can start school, but not all families can afford that. It is unacceptable for kids to go to school without all the supplies they need in order to get a proper education.”
“As a small business owner, I’m happy to pay my fair share of taxes. I believe we need to ensure Washington is a vibrant place to live, now and in the future. However, some large corporations get special tax breaks and don’t have to pay their fair share, which means less money for our roads, parks, schools and health and safety services. I’m not ok with that, and our communities deserve better!”
“I work for an agency that cares for the most beautiful state parks in the nation. But that agency is not self supporting. The parks system is in decline, and struggling to meet it’s mission. These state parks are this state’s crown jewels, and the foundation of the parks system is in the legislatures hands. Make it solid. I urge them to pass fair revenue solutions to fund our parks.”
“I’m a small business owner and child care provider. I pay my fair share in taxes, the large corporations should pay their fair share, too.”
“As a nurse of over 30 years, I want all the communities in the state of Washington to have access to enough health care providers to meet their needs. Demand for registered nurses will outpace supply over the next decade. The state must create stable and sufficient revenue to continue to fund the Health Profession Scholarship and Loan Repayment program so we can educate more nurses, and provide care for those who need it.”
“I work for the school district, and for the last 10 years my relative income has gone down each year — I started out as middle class, and I now qualify as a low income worker. It’s time for a change. We pay our fair in taxes and it’s time for big corporations and the rich to pay their fair share, too.”
“Good schools attract good teachers and retain business. They also result in a well educated work force. We need to reform our tax system so that everyone pays their fair share, and so our education system stays funded so we don’t fall behind.”
“I have three children, two of whom are students in the Franklin Pierce School District. My 7th grader Steven is in Honors Classes and is getting good grades. He wants to go to college and major in Chemistry or Engineering and eventually work for NASA. Steven excels in spite of the fact that there are 33 students in his science class and similar numbers in his other classes. This is simply unacceptable. Steven and all of the students in our state deserve small class sizes so they have the opportunity to do well in our new high-tech economy. I call on state Senate to honor the wishes of the voters to lower class sizes and to fully fund education!”
“As a taxpayer, I understand that taxes can be a burden. I pay over $10,000 in property tax. No one, so far, has offered me a tax package like the one offered to Boeing. Even without the break, I voted to raise my taxes and fund a new school. There are just some things worth paying a little more for.”
“As a small business owner, my professional life and that of my employees is affected by the tax system. I urge the legislature to bring fairness into our tax structure and fund the critical services that keep us the best state in the nation.”
“I’ve worked for the people of Washington at DSHS for 17 years. I collect child support for Washington Children. Child Support is so very important to single parent families, not only for insuring both parents financially contribute to their children, but also giving the parent who is not in the household a stake in their child’s financial security. Round after round of budget cuts have resulted in increased caseloads that make collecting support more difficult. This leaves some children without the vital support they need, and results in the loss of federal matching dollars our state relies upon. We owe it to our kids to raise new, fair revenue so that these services meant to protect their quality of life can still exist.”
“As a first year nurse, I am percieved as the future of nursing, but I’m already thinking about the future of nursing and the challenges that students face all over the state. Tuition has increased from 66%-117% over the last 10 years. We need sustainable revenue solutions in the budget, and a full funding of the Health Profession Scholarship and loan repayment program, to support nurses serving in rural and high need areas”
“Since retiring from the United States Military, I have been a home health care worker for 8 years. I love my work because I am giving quality care that affords people with disabilities the respect and dignity they deserve. I pay my fair share in taxes and I am happy to do so, however, the wealthiest, including large corporations continue to get tax breaks that gut the the states safety net which protects the vulnerable people I care for. I’ve never received a tax break in my life, and I’m okay with that, but I’m not okay with the top 2% of Washingtonians profiting at the expense of the people I care for.”
“As an educator, I am not fancy or rich but I know that it is crucial to ensure equal access to education, and take care of those most in need. I encourage the senate leadership to adopt fair revenue solutions, eliminate wasteful tax breaks for large corporations and ensure that public education is fully funded without gutting the critical services that support those in our communities who are most vulnerable.”
“I am a formerly homeless single mother, and a veteran of the United States Navy who served in the first Gulf War. Due to health issues I live on a fixed income, and at the end of the month there is nothing left over to save or invest. I pay my fair share in taxes, the wealthiest should pay their fair share too.”
“I am a caregiver — it is rewarding and sometimes heartbreaking but I believe in what I do. The state budget has a direct effect on my ability to do my job. I am not able to provide my clients the high level of care they require because the number of hours I work is controlled by the state budget.I urge the legislature to pass a budget to include fair revenue solutions like a capital gains tax so that we no longer underserve our friends and neighbors in need.”
“It seems to me that those who have benefited the most from our economic and social infrastructure should give back the most.”
“I have taught for more than 10 years in a high poverty school because I believe that quality public schools are key to cultivating a strong democracy. I believe that my students who wear the same clothes more than once in a week still deserve a world class education. I believe in the transformative power of education because I have seen my graduating Kindergartners read information to their pre-literate parents. The people of Washington have voted to reduce class size. Help me give my students adequate attention. Fully fund education.”
“Until my daughter started 1st grade last year, I had no idea how ridiculously starved our schools are. In Seattle our PTA’s are holding bake sales and auctions and run-a-thons to try to subplant our district operating budget with 3 million dollars a year. We can’t keep taxing the poor more than we tax the uber-wealthy — almost half our kids rely on the social safety net through free and reduced lunch. We pay our fair share in taxes, it’s time the wealthiest pay their fair share, too.”
“Due to an inheritance early in life, I receive investment income, which combined with my salary, puts me in the top 5% of earners . Because of Washington’s embarrassing upside down tax structure, people like me get wealthier while everyone else suffers. It’s not right. Washington is in crisis and high income earners like me should pay our fair share.”
“Without the state investing in families, I would not be the women or even member of society that I am today. I am so thankful to have become the woman I am, and I am proof of how important funding is for the vulnerable population. I am proof that PEOPLE CHANGE with the proper resources in Washington State. The legislature needs to support people like me by passing a budget that includes new revenue through a capital gains tax. The wealthier should pay their fair share”
“When school districts fall on lean times, classified staff are the first to go, and the last to return. In a middle school in my district, only 2 custodians clean the entire campus, handle user groups, and secure the building. I am asking state Senators to ensure that the wealthiest pay their fair share, but adopting a capital gains tax, then remember the k-12 classified staff that already do pay their fair share.”
“The legislature is a place to compromise. Do it! Remember the poor. Remember our children who need to be educated to make our state, indeed our world a better place. Do your jobs! Quit grandstanding. Quit costing your constituents money.”
“Even though things are going quite well for me personally, I am worried about our state. Our broken tax system is accelerating the growth of income inequality, we have the most regressive system in the nation. Those of us at the top pay less than 3% of our income in state and local taxes, while the poorest among us pay 17%. That’s just not fair. It’s time to pass a modest capital gains tax to even out those numbers. I’m ready to pay that tax because it will support the things I care about like fully funded education and higher ed.”
“My family is comprised of a contractor, a state worker and two teenage children. Our effective tax rate is much higher than that of the large corporations and the wealthy in our state. We struggle to the point of doing without medical and dental care, and college for the kids seems like a dream.”
“I work with the downtown emergency services center, we need to give mental health workers the tools they need to do their jobs. I support a capital gains tax so that the wealthiest among us are held accountable for paying their fair share.”
“My daughter is a teacher in the Mt. Vernon public school district, she teaches a class of over 30 kids, more than half of whom are English Language Learners. The district and the families in Mt. Vernon are very poor, and engorged class sizes make it difficult for any teacher to teach and test, especially ELL students. Passing HB 2224 might not get my daughter a raise any time soon, but it may help that class size, so that she might actually be able to teach those kids.”
“I’ve worked as a Home Care Worker for over 6 years. I take care of my brother who had open heart surgery 5 years ago. He is developmentally delayed and needs his medications twice a day. Many home care workers in our district work long hard hours and deserve a living wage, benefits and a good retirement plan. We need a the budget that includes a capitol gains tax, so that we can take care of our clients and the most vulnerable people in our communities.”
“Every day, I hear stories about how having health coverage is the difference between people staying healthy, or their conditions getting so bad they end up in the ER. I know the life saving difference services services make. The state Senate has a fair revenue solution on the table, I urge them to pass it.”
“I have 3 children in Kent public schools, and every year it’s so uncertain — my children could be in a reasonable class size, a librarian, or not, a school counselor, or not. We hear over and over that we can’t fund smaller class sizes and adequately staff our schools and still support social services. I disagree. If we can find a way to give billions in tax breaks to Boeing in one day, we can find a fair revenue solution that addresses the needs of our students, especially those living in poverty.”
“I’m tired of extremely profitable corporations being taxed insufficiently while working families are required to pay regressive taxes. It is time for the legislator to stand up and do what they were elected to do — stand up for ALL of us, not just the favored ones.”
“I pay my fair share in taxes and I think that the wealthiest and large corporations should pay their share as well.Our K -12 education system is underfunded and our infrastructure is crumbling. The legislature has a fair revenue solution on the table. I urge the Senate to pass a budget that includes a capital gains tax and eliminates wasteful tax breaks for large corporations.”
