Spokane7
68°
May 2, 2011 in Opinion
Tax breaks burden poor
Washington state is fast on its way to becoming the Evergreen gated community, with starkly different futures for the haves and have-nots. It’s time to tell our elected officials to set a better course.
Our state is at a defining crossroads. Funding for vital public services such as kindergarten, class-size reductions, colleges and universities, toxic cleanups, hospitals and Basic Health have all been slashed and now face even deeper cuts.
Washington state already slashed $5 billion from essential public services in the past two years – and then another $750 million on top of that, because of higher-than-expected revenue shortfalls – and lawmakers are considering another $5 billion in reductions over the next two years.
The basic elements that define Washington – our world-class research facilities, our beautiful environment, our caring communities, our smarter-than-average work force – are all at stake.
We’re told that there is nothing we can do, that this is the new reality and that we should just accept this lower quality of life.
Our kids are struggling, tuition is skyrocketing, harmful chemicals are seeping into our water and seniors are being kicked out of their homes. Simultaneously, corporations are banking record profits and Olympia continues to hand out billions in tax breaks for corporate special interests with no review of whether those breaks serve any purpose whatsoever.
There are real choices to be made here, and it’s high time to hold our state lawmakers accountable for the glaring inequalities of giving tax breaks to the wealthiest while eliminating vital public services to the neediest.
For example: The money given away in tax breaks for Wall Street banks could fund the Basic Health plan so that more people can see a doctor if they get sick. The money given away in tax breaks for chemical fertilizers could let more seniors live with dignity by providing in-home care. The money given away in tax breaks for cosmetic procedures could be used to make sure kids don’t go hungry.
Only in a cruel world paralyzed by wealthy, vested interests does it make sense to hand out tax breaks to those who don’t need them, while putting the burden of the recession on those who can least afford it. But that’s what’s happening.
Of the astounding 567 existing tax breaks in Washington, only 95 have ever actually been reviewed by the Legislature. Although a bipartisan committee recommended terminating 29 unjustified tax breaks to recover millions in lost revenue, nothing was done. Meanwhile, the problem is growing and our tax code looks more and more like a slice of Swiss cheese, full of holes.
Every year, parents, teachers, nurses, firefighters and advocates have to justify every penny spent on the services that support our communities. But special-interest tax breaks dodge the scrutiny that applies to all other spending. That’s not right, and it’s not fair.
We’ve been told that closing tax loopholes is too difficult, because Tim Eyman’s two-thirds rule applies. But that raises another problem. It’s absurd and undemocratic to create tax breaks by a simple-majority vote but require a two-thirds vote to eliminate them.
There is no good reason to oppose ending unjustified tax breaks for Wall Street banks, private jets and cosmetic procedures. Any legislator who defends a tax break for Wall Street banks over basic funding for clinics and classrooms should be embarrassed, ashamed and voted out.
It’s time for our legislators to work for us and to start taking responsibility for our future. Tell your lawmakers to stop subsidizing tax dodgers and outsourcers, and to invest in our kids, our future and our quality of life.
Liz Moore is the director of the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane.
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DickAdams on May 02 at 7:48 a.m.
Most voters in the state of Washington keep electing liberals and for decades have maintained the majority in Olympia. Gregoire and her ilk have given away the farm with tax breaks and yet the voters continue to reelect these spend thrifts. Isn`t it time to do away with corporate welfare? All you have to do is look at spend thrifts like Lisa Brown. Who the heck is she working for? I will say, if I lived in Seattle I`d continue to vote for the libs and continue to rob eastern Washington and spend the money on the west side. Lisa Brown and Gregoire could put a stop to this if they wanted too. They shall not and will continue to steal money for the west side.
mikeln on May 02 at 8:29 a.m.
Make the weathy pay their fair share? Fat chance when they buy the laws that give them special treatment at the expense of the many. Hell, we can’t even vote these scumbags out, they just get replaced by the bought and paid for people the wealthy let us vote for. We need a none of the above box on our ballots so we can tell them goodby. Untill we get rid of every good old boy, the well connected will always take advantage of the not so well connected.
Ninch on May 02 at 8:41 a.m.
LIz Moore is mixing apples and oranges (i.e. Washington State and Washington, DC), For example, Basic Health Plan is indeed a Washington State Program, but Washington State does not give tax breaks for Wall Street.
Most importantly, a lot of these “special interest” tax breaks are not so special interest just because Liz and her nanny state advocates say so. Washington State collects B&O tax on gross income (not income tax on adjusted income) from businesses. Businesses also collect sales tax on its products and services. Some professional services are exempt from sales tax (e.g. architects, engineers, medical professionals) yet this exemption is called “special interest” even though sales tax collection is an add-on for consumers to pay.
Finally, any tax system that promotes economic growth and job creation is a good thing, because more jobs mean that fewer people should be on the welfare system as well as overall tax revenue is increased to pay for the truly needy as well as education and community services.
P.S. Hey, Liz… Washington State by its own Constitution is mandated to fund basic education and does so. The only education cuts has been to forestall an initiative passed some time ago. And if you are talking about Washington, DC… the feds should stay out of K-12 education because all funding comes with mandates (i.e. standardized testing that has not been proven to be effective) that only cost local school districts more and takes away from real learning time.
Ninch on May 02 at 8:47 a.m.
Please… mikein… define what you consider “wealthy.” And why do you denigrate successful persons/corporations as “scumbags?” How are they taking advantage at the expense of many? Many, whom? And if you are referring to Washington State… The governor and two Senators are not “good ol’ boys” but rather professional women who are also Democrats… same as your “good ol’ boy” Obama. Additionally, the Washington State legislature has a majority of Democrats. Way past time for mikein to post some thoughtful arguments instead of rants.
Coffee on May 02 at 9:00 a.m.
Ninch : I agree with you.
oyezoyezoyez on May 02 at 11:21 a.m.
@DickAdams:
You must be joking. If any transfer of wealth is happening between western and eastern Washington, the cross mountain subsidy flows out of the pockets of earners in western Washington and into the hands of the folks in the eastern half of the state, including Spokane County.
Here’s proof: http://www.thestranger.com/binary/ea57/CityLead-CLICK.jpg
johnclarke on May 02 at 2:18 p.m.
um yeah Dick, having a little trouble following your thinkin thar hoss.
King County carries the State.
richard on May 02 at 4:50 p.m.
Liz Moore offers little beyond childish rants about something she obviously knows very little about. Perhaps she should stick to just being a pacifist who opposes every military action this country takes.
arroyoribera on May 02 at 6:25 p.m.
Liz Moore and PJALS are heavily involved in working for economic justice, including exposing and rolling back the outrageous portion of the US economy devoted to creating an offensive “defense” budget that is equal to the military budgets of all the countries of the world combined. This well-written, measured article by Liz is 100% factually accurate. The attacks by a few folks here are empty rhetoric. As Ninch clearly knows, the phrase “Wall Street banks” is a common and obvious reference to corporate banks, virtually all of which do business in Washington state and receive special tax treatment. Just google “Washington state tax breaks to bankers” to find information from multiple sources on that reality in this state. Special interest tax breaks is a well-known reference to special tax benefits given to promote a specific economic or social objective. Such tax breaks and benefits are not rights and may be taken back by the people, regardless of the tantrums of corporate lobbyists, Fox News and conservative commenters here at the S-R. It is now abundantly clear that the massive wealth accumulated in the hands of a tiny and coddled fraction of the US population — a concentration of wealth that continues even after the collapse of and bail out of that same banking sector — occurs to the detriment to our communities, families, and shared infrastructure. Thank you to Liz and everyone else adding their voice to democracy, challenging this country’s corporate- dominated media and political class as well as their petty flacks on the comment boards. And check out the “Cuts have Consequences” speechs and activities every afternoon this week in Cheney at EWU. The political moment is now. It is time to remove the fox from the hen house and strengthen the foundation for the well-being and futures of all our communities and families, just as we have so generously done for the prosperity of this state’s ultra-rich and the out-of-state bankers who take their money and run.
Dazzeetrader11 on May 03 at 1:20 a.m.
The handout programs along with the unions have crippled the State. it was only a matter of time. The wealthy have funded more than their fair share if one reviews the taxes paid.
Simply put, Liz is not in reality. No money means no programs…or severe cuts. DOn’t put this on the back of the wealthy or rich ( nobody has defined that yet). People flock to free stuff. When the free stuff runs out, it’s time to get something else going.
Unemployement precludes lots of jobs. MacDonalds is hiring.
Welfare isn’t. Untill Obama gets his foot off the nck of people who will creat jobs, it’s a losing cause. Banks won’t loan and that limits everyone. Oh..parenthetically banks don’t loan to the unemployed.
“Economic Justice”?.a new term! Sweet. Means nothing.just jargon. Arroyo…do you mean money for those who don’t get educated and don’t work at gainful employment? Or perhaps it mean the wealthy folks stole the poors’ money and should just give it back. Justice you say? It’s a loser phrase. Let’s not confuse terms….or ideas. Pie in the sky stuff from the “Chosen One”. How about the people who give job, give jobs to those who are trained to do something? It’s a start.
Kathy9 on May 10 at 8:19 p.m.
I would be horrified about some of these comments, including the “Wall Street” is not in Washington state crack. But it has come to this in public discourse. How short-sighted. Wake up people! The same mega-business that is vacuuming up what we used to call the middle class, is doing a great PR job on us as evidenced by these comments that defend corporate tax loopholes. Now they can cut their pr and policy-buying spending… Youre doing it for them. Liz moore is quite accurate - the greed continues to grow, at the expense of budget shortfalls for those who make the “bad choice” of being disabled, old, working-class, children,…anyone who needs…healthcare…food…