GUEST POST: Adult Education and the Millionaire's Tax
Adult Education and the Millionaire's Tax
[guest post from the Grassroots Media Project]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ORtLAYBfWI
In the past two years, more than $100 million dollars has been cut from the budgets of many District of Columbia social service agencies. The impact has been devastating to DC's neediest residence. Even more cuts are expected this year, but the Save Our Safety Net Campaign has a solution. A .5% increase on residents earning more than $200,000 a year and a 9.4% increase on millionaires could raise $50 million dollars in revenue. Councilmember Jim Graham has incorporated these proposals into the Equitable Income Tax Act, which he introduced in 2009. In addition to Graham, Councilmembers Harry Thomas Jr. and Tommy Wells have endorsed the legislation. Four more councilmembers are needed before the act can become law, which must be done before the adoption of Mayor Fenty's draconian budget at the end of May. Call or email your councilmember today. Tell him or her to support the Equitable Income Tax Act.
Here's a link to the council directory - http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/councildirectory
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4 Comments:
Hell no. The "Equitable Income Tax Act" is not equitable at all. It is completely unfair.
Save our Safety Net? Seriously? So instead of increasing District revenue through business development and entreprenuership, let's raise taxes on people that make more than us. All that will do is drive more people out of the district to surrounding counties with less income tax.
The District social service agencies are bloated. The cuts of the past two years are welcome changes that will spur private interests to fill the void, such as charities, churches, and non-faith based groups.
We can only hope that the service level stays where it is and the blatantly unfair tax bill fails to burden our community with even more taxation.
Why is it unfair to ask someone who earns more than $1,000,000 annually to pay $2,000 more in taxes than they are currently? That's pretty much what this tax is asking for. In fact, when times were better, the tax rate was higher for millionaires. The council decreased I guess because they decided the city didn't need the money. Now the city needs the money. So...
I think you both raise good points. A lot to think about. At the risk of playing "Devil's Advoc8te" (bad pun) I suppose I would have to ask, "who's responsibility it it to ensure that the less have more?". Should those who have more be obligated to give more (in this case in increased taxes) or should those with less be expected to improve their own circumstances and pay their own way? I think that is what this is boiling down to.
I guess what I am trying to say is is it fair to assume that those who have more than others (either through working, inheritience or circumstance) should be required to pay for those who have less?
For example, I don't have children because I can't afford to have a child. I have no "safety net" which is why I have to work everyday. If I can't afford it I don't have it. Like a lot of people I am on a budget. Should I expect that because I fall on hard or harder times that someone who has more than me should support my life or my dependents (assuming I had any)? Where does personal responsibility and accountability come into this?
Again, I am just playing devil's advoc8te. I think if someone needs short term help there should be places for them to go to get it but I do wonder if what should have initially been short-term help to fill the occassoinal gap has become an entitlement that has stifled personal responsibility.
I think if some clarity can be made on that then this issue may not be so contreversial.
My 2 cents.
Maybe this will bring some clarity. Here's a list of the services whose budgets are being cut. I think a number of these, like the adult education and even child care subsidy actually help low-income residents take on more personal responsibility. Others, I personally think should be entitlements, like access to justice or health care reimbursements, because I think access to health care and justice should be a right and not something that only wealthy people can afford. Anyway, here's the list.
Healthcare Provider Reimbursements $12 Million
Interim Disability Assistance $7.0 Million
Adult Job Training $4.6 Million
Home Purchase Assistance Program $3.0 Million
Child Care Subsidy Program $4.0 Million
Grandparent Caregiver $2.8 Million
Emergency Rental Assistance Program $1.3 Million
Healthy Families/Thriving Communities Collaboratives $1.2 Million
Access to Justice $1.1 Million
Rapid Housing $1.1 Million
Adult Education $1.0 Million
Earned Income Tax Credit $1.0 Million
IMA Service Center Eligibility Determination Services $1.0 Million
The budget also maintains last year's spending reductions of $4 million in homeless services and $2 million in the Local Rent Supplement Program.
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