AZ House is scheduled to reconvene Monday, 6/7 to further attempt to get the budget with the 2.5% flat tax included passed. It does not look likely but we need to keep up our resistance.
FLAT TAX IMPACT
Here is a partial summary of what the 2.5% flat tax would mean to most of us. As you can see, almost all of the benefit goes to the wealthiest among us while most of us see only modest gains. Most of us will only see about $40 when its all said and done.
$10,000 – $20,000 4.2% or $3 drop
$25,000 – 30,000 4.0% or $11 drop
$40,000 – $50,000 5.7% or $39 drop
$75,000 – $100,000 13.2% or $232 drop
$200,000 – $500,000 32.7% or $3,202 drop
$1 Million – $5 Million 42.8% or $102,625 drop
Over $5 Million 43.7% or $350,302 drop
A bigger impact would be the loss in revenue to Arizona cities and towns who have a revenue sharing agreement with the state. The average loss in city revenue is 6.4% with rural areas hurt the worst (Holbrook, for example would lose 13% of its revenue while Scottsdale would only lose 5%). In addition, some state funds come with strings so can’t be used to cover other city expenses like police, fire, parks, libraries, community centers, etc.
ACTION PLAN:
The best we can do now is to contact our AZ legislators (once again). To see that everyone wins, ask them to:
- Create a bipartisan budget that invests in our communities
- Pays down state debt
- Includes a reasonably sized tax cut
Do this even if you think they wont listen; if you’ve already done so, send a reminder. The volume of contacts makes a difference!
ADDITIONAL ACTION EFFORT:
Call to Action: Stop the Flat Tax
Republicans in the AZ Legislature are scheming a Flat Tax budget & a $1.5 Billion dollar tax give-away to the wealthiest Arizonans instead of focusing on the needs of the majority of Arizonans. This Call is a statewide-last-ditch effort by the Arizona Democratic Party and others to change the direction of this disastrous budget.
Write 2 postcards and mail them on Tuesday the 8th. It is very important that the postcards get put in the mail on Tuesday the 8th, as this is a media event!
Create your postcards. Use a blank index card or other stiff paper. Postcard size no larger than 4” x 6”
Front of cards addressed to:
Representative Regina Cobb
This msg is for Governor Ducey too!
House of Representatives
1700 West Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Senator David Gowan
This msg is for Governor Ducey too!
AZ State Senate
1700 West Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85007
IMPORTANT:
Take a photo of you placing your finished postcard in the mail and share your photo on social media include the hashtag #NoFlatTax and text such as:
Ducey’s Flat Tax is only for Ducey’s Fat Cats
Ducey’s $1.5 BILLION Tax break is UNCONSCIONABLE!
Sample front (use your own words) Sample back (use your own words)
Here is the contact information for our Legislators:
SENATE:
LD 6 – Wendy Rogers 602-926-3042
LD 7 – Jamescita Peshlakai 602-926-3160
President Karen Fann 602-926-5874
Majority Ldr Rick Gray 602-926-5413
HOUSE:
LD 6 – Walt Blackman 602-926-3043
LD 6 – Brenda Barton 602-926-3421
LD 7 – Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren 602-926-3069
LD 7 – Myron Tsosie 602-926-3157
Speaker Russell Bowers 602-926-3128
Majority Ldr Ben Toma 602-926-3298
CONTACT THE GOVERNOR AS BILLS MOVE TO HIM TO SIGN
IT IS BEST TO CALL HIS OFFICE TO VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION – 602-542-4331.
IF YOU TWEET – SEND YOUR OPPOSITION VIA TWITTER – @DOUGDUCEY
(He hates to get Tweets it seems!!)
USE RESISTBOT as well:
- Click on “Messages” on your iphone
- Type in 504-09 and hit send
- Type in “Resist” and send
- Follow requests for information that appear
- Select the person you want to send a message to – legislator, governor, etc.
- Draft your message and hit send
- Resist bot takes care of the rest.