ICAN - Fair Taxes - CEO Panhandle Press Release

CEO Panhandle Press Release

For Immediate Release: March 26, 2003
Contact: Deb Stehr 712-657-3068

CEOs Panhandle Outside Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Bush Tax Cut Plan takes from Iowans, Short-changes Necessary Services

Iowa City, IA-People arriving to hear former President Clinton’s speech at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena were approached by CEOs begging for Iowans tax dollars. Members of AFSCME and Iowa Citizen Action Network were dressed as rich CEOs to protest President Bush’s tax cut package. Holding signs saying “Cut Veteran’s Benefits, Tax Breaks for Millionaires” and “Take from the Needy, Give to the Greedy”, protesters hoped to educate the public about the cuts in programs to pay for the Presidents tax cut.

Betty Ahrens, co-director of Iowa Citizen Action Network said, “We are at war at a cost of $100 billion or more, there is inadequate money for homeland security, the deficit is out of control, the states are broke, and we have unmet needs in health care and education.” She added, “Yet President Bush wants to cut taxes for the rich. It makes no sense, and we must tell Senator Grassley to stand up against these reckless tax cuts.”

Robin White, staff person for AFSCME, council 61 said, “The Bush tax cut will prevent Iowa’s needed public investment in education, health care and homeland security, and it is an unfair plan for working families because 60 percent of the benefits go to the top 10 percent of income-earners.”

The Senate approved the President’s tax cut plan today after reducing it in half to $350 billion. The cut was included in their budget resolution. Last week the House approved their version of the budget resolution that included a tax cut worth $726 billion and deep cuts in programs such as Medicaid, veteran’s benefits and student loans.

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Iowa Citizen Action Network and AFSCME are members of Fair Taxes for All, a network of more than 240 national, state and local organizations and coalitions opposing President Bush’s tax cut plan.

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