Peace and Freedom Party

NEWS ADVISORY
January 5, 2009
Contact: Kevin Akin 951/787-03 18 kevinakin1950 AT hotmail.com
www.peaceandfreedom.org

Governor's proposed sales tax hike a 'savage attack' on working people; emergency tax on state's richest people needed, says Peace and Freedom Party

SACRAMENTO - The Governor's sales tax hike that appears ready for adoption by the Legislature is a "savage attack on working people," said the Peace and Freedom Party today, and urged instead an "emergency 5 percent tax" on California's richest one percent to help resolve state's budget crisis.

"The truth about the latest California budget proposals is ugly," said Peace and Freedom Party State Chair Kevin Akin. "The truth about the legislature and the governor is even uglier. They don't represent the voters who elected them. They represent the very rich people and corporations who bankroll them, who control both the Republican and Democratic parties, and who give them plum jobs when they leave office if they have been obedient. As a result, the budget proposals they are about to approve are a savage attack on working people," he added.

Regressive taxes are those which hurt poor people more than they do the rich. Flat taxes, which charge the same percent, are the most regressive.

Income tax in the United States is "graduated." People who earn less money pay a lower percentage on that amount. As you earn more, you pay a higher percent on the greater amounts of income. The recent tax cuts reduced the percentage of taxes on higher incomes, making the tax flatter.

Taxes

Public services and infrastructure have deteriorated as government has increasingly shifted the tax burden from corporations to workers. Our long-range goal is a socialist society without conventional taxes, with public services to be funded from the proceeds of social production. We demand:

• Repeal Proposition 13. Tax property for profit, not property for personal use. Remove property taxes on modest owner-occupied homes.
• Repeal the sales tax.
• Include aggregate of real property and stocks, bonds, etc. in a steeply-graduated property tax.
• Restore the renters' tax credit.
• Double registration fees on luxury vehicles.
• Tax unearned income at a higher rate than earned income.
• Eliminate or reverse income tax on low- and moderate-income families.
• Re-enact California's unitary tax on multi-national corporations.
• Tax the business activities of churches on the same basis as other organizations.
• Take the cap off social security taxes, make the rates progressive so burden falls on the wealthy.

Read more...

NEWS ADVISORY
Dec. 30, 2008
Contact: Kevin Akin 951/787-0318 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.peaceandfreedom.org

Peace and Freedom Party decries 'brutal' Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza, and encourages its members to protest

The Peace and Freedom Party today urged activists and members to join in demonstrations, phone and e-mail campaigns directed at US and Israeli officials, and other efforts to stop the "brutal intentional bombing of civilian targets in Gaza."

A new Peace and Freedom Party leaflet is now available. "American Imperialism, Israeli Aggression and the Palestinians" can be downloaded here. For other Peace and Freedom Party pamphlets, click here.

The Peace and Freedom Party places primary responsibility for the present crisis in the Middle East on the United States government and the militaristic policies of the corporate-controlled Democratic and Republican parties. Since World War II, the U.S. has fostered both Israeli and Arab militarism. It has opposed openly and covertly every move toward peace, secular democracy or social justice in the region. We demand that the U.S. permanently end all military aid to all governments everywhere as the first step toward world peace.

A Memorial Service for Bill Callison will he held at noon on Saturday, January 17, 2009 on the top of Mt. Diablo in Contra Costa County, California. Bill, Contra Costa County Chair of the Peace and Freedom Party and recent party nominee for Congress, died in his home on December 11, 2008.
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We're preparing for the 2010 elections now with a special fund-raising drive. We ran a great slate of candidates in 2008. Ralph Nader raised our visibility and brought a lot of new energy into the party. We endorsed Cindy Sheehan (the Peace Mom) in her valiant race against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Party officer Marsha Feinland (9th State Senate District) got almost 30,000 votes against the established candidates. Where they ran, our candidates came in second or third, getting more votes than any other third party candidate including Greens and Libertarians.

All our candidates work with budgets that are miniscule compared to those of the corrupt major parties. Please help us continue our electoral progress by contributing just 10 bucks to our 2010 election campaigns. Drop 10 on 2010!