CPA Tells Coffman to stop stepping on the 1 percent

AFL-CIO, Colorado Progressive Action and the Fair Share Alliance Call on Coffman to end tax cuts for 1%

LONE TREE -- Wednesday, August 8, 2012 Rally Point

Today, over 30 members AFL-CIO, Colorado Progressive Action (CPA) and the Fair Share Alliance (FSA) packed Rep. Mike Coffman’s office while delivering a letter that firmly requested the congressman begin standing up for working class families across Colorado and end his support for extending the Bush Tax Cuts that will cost Colorado over $700 million in the upcoming year. Members demonstrated in front of Coffman's office where voters spoke to the impact those cuts have had on their lives and community.

With a combined membership of over 330,000 Coloradans, the organizations told Coffman his past votes have only served to help the wealthy rise on the backs of the middleclass.

“We are fed up with the state of this economy and the blatant disregard that the Republican Party has shown for the well-being of our communities,” said Corrine Fowler, Campaign Director for CPA. “The so called Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act that would extend the Bush Tax Cuts to the wealthiest is the latest in a series of harmful policies that Rep. Coffman has supported.”

Fowler went on to enumerate a number of concerns the organizations have had with Coffman’s past votes. She explained that Coffman voted to ship more jobs overseas, voted against job training programs, and voted against CEO pay restrictions among a number of others.

Mikel Whitney, a resident of CD6, listed off a number of ways the Bush Tax Cuts will trickle down to Colorado, including $491 million in highway construction funds.

“Colorado will lose $149 million in Title I funds for K-12 Education next year,” Whitney said. “Colorado will lose $81 million to fund Head Start next year.

A representative at Coffman’s office received the letter and ensured the crowd that it would be delivered to the congressman.

Video will be on the CPA website later today. http://coprogressiveaction.org/

Letter below:
August 9, 2012

Representative Coffman,
As you know, at the end of 2012, the tax cuts signed into law by President Bush that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans will expire. The argument to extend these tax cuts in the name of Job Protection and Recession Prevention is ludicrous. In the years following the Bush Tax Cuts our great nation has experienced an unprecedented economic depression; continual high rates of unemployment, stagnant wages, an historic housing crisis, and record bankruptcy levels. We now have a $15 trillion deficit. How will extending these tax cuts support a more robust economy?
In the past decade the wealthiest individuals received $110,000 in tax cuts per year; they are now $1 million wealthier while the rest of us struggle to pay our mortgages, keep food on our tables, pay our doctor bills and send our children to college. We don’t understand why Republicans want to spend another trillion dollars over the next 10 years to give more tax cuts to the richest one percent. Next year alone, the Republican tax plan would cost $68 billion more than President Obama’s plan. Americans cannot afford to keep giving away huge sums of money to the people who need it least.
Have you truly considered the impact these tax cuts will have on Colorado families next year alone?
• Investments in infrastructure: Colorado will lose $491 million for highway construction next year. Colorado already ranks 48th in spending for highways funding. (per $1,000 of income)
• Investments in education: Colorado will lose $149 million in Title I funds for K-12 Education next year. Colorado currently ranks 48th for public school funding. (per $1,000 of income)
• Investments in early childhood education: Colorado will lose $81 million to fund Head Start next year.
• Investments in children’s well-being and health: Colorado will lose $32 million for school breakfast program next year. The Colorado school breakfast program serves more than 126,000 children every year.
You have voted again and again to support corporate tax loopholes, tax cuts for the wealthy and higher pay for CEO’s. You have voted against job creation, fair taxation, and foreclosure relief. The people of Colorado are fed up with policy makers who don’t represent them. The people of Colorado deserve better.
Representative Coffman, stop lining the pockets of the rich while strapping the rest of us with the bill!
We are disappointed with your vote last week to extend the Bush Tax Cuts. Stand with the people next time and vote to end the Bush Tax Cuts in 2012!
Sincerely,
AFL-CIO
Colorado Progressive Action
Fair Share Alliance