balancing the scales, March 8, 2010
Page 13
Economic Justice Update
Budget bake sales go local; sales are planned across the state KFTC’s January Budget Bake Sale has spawned a series of bake sales in local chapter areas. The Madison County chapter followed up quickly, with a bake sale on January 21 that raised almost $20 (every bit helps) that chapter members have already delivered to the governor’s office. Now, KFTC’s northern Kentucky and Rowan County chapter members are planning March Budget Bake Sales. Members are using the bake sales to raise awareness about the impacts of the proposed budget, introduce more people to KFTC’s tax justice campaign, and to build relationships with local service providers whose ability to serve Kentuckians are impacted by budget cuts. Additionally, the Jefferson County Chapter is planning a bake sale for the near future.
To help organize a bake sale with your chapter or faith organization, get in touch with Jessica Lucas at 859-533-0613 or jessicabreen@kftc. org.
United for a Fair Economy (UFE) is offering a Tax Fairness Pledge. Here’s how it works: people calculate their tax breaks from the Bush-era tax cuts and pledge to give them to organizations working for tax fairness. Here is UFE’s invitation to learn more:
If so, you’re not alone. Each year, members of Responsible Wealth (a project of United for a Fair Economy) calculate their Clinton and Bush-era tax cuts through the Tax Fairness Pledge, and redirect those tax savings toward efforts to promote fairer taxation. For details, or to try Responsible Wealth’s 3-minute Tax Cut Calculator, visit www.responsiblewealth.org. Or contact Mike Lapham, 617-423-2148 x112 or lapham@responsiblewealth.org.
• A recent poll found that the number of Kentucky adults below Medicare age without health insurance — let alone adequate and affordable health insurance — jumped up 10 points from 23% in 2008 to 33% in 2009. About 900,000 people in Kentucky have no health insurance. • According to a survey from the AARP, the recession is taking the hardest toll on African Americans, especially older black workers. Compared with the general population, more than twice as many African American older workers reported difficulty paying for mortgages or rent and medicine, and having borrowed money to pay living expenses. Twice as many blacks reported losing jobs. Twice as many blacks reported having spouses who either lost jobs or had to take second jobs.
United for a Fair Economy offers a Tax Fairness Pledge
Do you find it hard to believe that the upper-income tax cuts passed under Bush and Clinton are still in effect, despite the worst recession since the Great Depression?
Economic Justice Landscape Quick Hits:
United States Census This month, the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau will mail every Kentucky household a 10-question survey. The government relies heavily on census data to help direct funding for roads, schools, libraries and other public services. To help make sure Kentucky – and your home county – gets its fair share of government resources, please take the time to fill out the questionnaire and mail it back by Census Day,
April 1, 2010.
• The AARP’s national survey results are playing out here in Kentucky, where unemployment continues to jeopardize the stability of thousands of families. According to United for a Fair Economy’s State of the Dream Report, Kentucky ranks 21st in the nation for racial disparity in unemployment rates. The most recent national data for unemployment in states by race shows that Kentucky’s unemployment for African Americans was 16.5 percent, while the rate for whites was 10.1 percent, and the rate for Latinos was 9.6 percent. Senator Jim Bunning almost succeeded in March in taking the unemployment insurance safety net from 14,000 Kentuckians. His explanation? “Why not now?” • Central Kentucky’s Kentucky-American Water has asked the Public Service Commission for a 37% rate hike — an increase amounting to, on average, $9.44 a month. • The Kentucky Coalition for Responsible Lending is a collection of groups working to get the same protection for Kentucky families that Congress has enacted for military families: a 36 percent annual percentage rate (APR) cap on payday loan interest rates. Ohio caps rates at 28 percent and West Virginia never allowed payday loans in the first place, but Kentucky law permits a very high rate: 391 to 459 percent. House Bill 381 has earned a lot of support in the legislature. It is stuck in the House Banking and Insurance Committee. For more information, visit http://kyresponsiblelending.wordpress.com.