WA Action Alert, Speakers Training, and Workshops from UFE (fwd)

[Daniel A. Halos]

I imagine most people on this email list would be in support of estate tax reform versus the complete repeal of the federal estate tax, which may come soon.  Please take a moment and contact your congressional representative regarding important issue.  See below... 


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 18:10:06 -0400
From: Lee Farris <lfarris at faireconomy.org>
To: Lee Farris <lfarris at faireconomy.org>
Subject: WA Action Alert, Speakers Training, and Workshops from UFE 

PLEASE Forward

Friends of United for a Fair Economy,

This is the occasional newsletter of United for a Fair Economy (UFE),
Northwest.  If you would like to be on the email newsletter for national
UFE, write to ychong at faireconomy.org.  If you would like to be removed from
this list, let me know.  Please send this on to others who might be
interested.

Included in this mail are:
1) Action Alert on the Federal Estate Tax
2) Upcoming Speakers Training on the Estate Tax
3) Upcoming presentations of "Let's Talk Taxes: Who Pays? Who Benefits?"

1) ACTION ALERT: PLEASE CALL AND WRITE YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE
WITH THIS MESSAGE:

"Congressperson  ________, please vote against HR 57.  I strongly oppose the
permanent repeal of the estate tax.  The estate tax currently effects only
the top 2% of estates, or  about 1,000  estates in Washington, and that
number shrinks to 100 as the exemption rises to $3.5 million.  This is a
transfer tax on the unearned inheritance of wealth, the bulk of which is
appreciated assets that have never been taxed.  Most wealthy families can
plan for the tax and pay it over a number of years. Reforming the tax by
raising the exemption level to $3.5 million per person now would remove
vulnerable small farms and businesses from the burden the tax can create,
and maintain the tax on the truly large fortunes. Repealing the estate tax
would reduce federal revenue by $796 billion between 2012 and 2022. It would
increase the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of the rich, and
widen the gap between them and the majority of working Americans.  Reform,
do not repeal, the estate tax. Please let me know your position on this
important issue.  Thank you."

THE STORY: 

While glowing in pleasure at Congressional passage of the latest Bush $350
billion tax cut, Speaker of the US House of Representative Dennis Hastert
stated that GOP leadership in Congress would like to pursue one more tax cut
in 2003, and that the estate tax was the likeliest target.  The GOP has
stated that permanent repeal of the estate tax is on their top 10 list of
things to do,  and HR 57, sponsored by Rep Jennifer Dunn, would do so.  This
bill is likely to be voted on in the next few weeks, or the Republicans may
attach estate tax repeal to another piece of legislation that has momentum
in the House, as they are attempting to do now with the child tax credit
bill.  

Please voice your opinion, even if your Congressperson has supported the
estate tax in the past.   Especially needing to hear from us is Rep Rick
Larsen from the 2nd District (Everett to Bellingham), who supported
permanent repeal in its last vote in Congress, and in his last campaign.

If you do not know your Representatives' contact information, call
202/224-3121 or go to www.house.gov.  Both letters and calls are important.
Please let us know when you do contact them.  For more info on the estate
tax, go to www.faireconomy.org/estatetax.

Also, please let us know if you would like to be part of a delegation
visiting your Representative in person on this issue.  Finally, if you have
not signed UFE's Call to Preserve the Estate Tax, please go to the website
above and do.  This petition signed by hundreds of Washingtonians will be
used to lobby our elected officials, and possibly in a public advertisement
for those who choose to "go public".  This is likely to be an ongoing fight
until  the estate tax is either reformed to a higher exemption level soon,
or entirely repealed.


2) COME TO A SPEAKERS TRAINING.  Part of our campaign to broaden the
coalition in support of reforming, not repealing the estate tax is a
speakers bureau, ready to talk to ally organizations about the importance of
preserving the estate tax, and to present a range of actions.  The next
training for speakers will be:

 Thursday June 19 from 6:30 - 9:00 PM
at Washington Association of Churches
419 Occidental Ave S, Suite 201 (between Jackson and King)
Seattle, 98104.    Snacks provided, $5 donation requested.

Following that, another speakers training about the estate tax will be
Wednesday, July 2 from 6:30 - 9:00 PM, at the same location, if there is
enough demand.  Contact us if interested.

Please join us for these trainings, whether you want to speak to a crowd, or
your co-worker.  RSVP's appreciated.  UFENW at aol.com

We need help in building this coalition of support for the estate tax. Do
you have connections in organizations who should know more about the estate
tax, or can you host a speaker to come to an organization that you belong
to?  We can provide a short 10 minute talk. Let us know who to talk to.
Thank you.

3) Come to a Presentation of:  "LET'S TALK TAXES: WHO PAYS? WHO BENEFITS?"
This interactive workshop of the WA Tax Fairness Coalition reviews the state
budget crises and how we got to this point, examines the effect of tax
policies on people at different income levels, and explores ways to evaluate
tax proposals.  This workshop has been presented to over 1,000 people, and
is informative and fun.  There are 3 upcoming dates:

Tuesday, June 17,  6:30-8pm
King County Library-Admin Building
916 Newport Way SW
Issaquah. WA    

Monday June 23, 6:30-8pm
Associated Ministries
1224 South I Street
Tacoma., WA 

Wednesday, June 25,  6:30-8 pm
Washington Association of Churches
419 Occidental Ave S, Suite 201
Seattle, WA


For questions about any of the above, contact:
Lois Canright, Northwest Organizer
United for a Fair Economy
206/332-0200
UFENW at aol.com