Contact your Legislators and Urge Them to

Recent Developments:
The House Ways and Means Committee “marked up” a tax cut bill May 6 and expects a vote on the House floor by May 9.  The Senate tax cut bill may go to the Senate floor for a vote May 13.  Senate and House leadership want to send the final bill to the President no later than May 23!

Opposition in the Press:
“I’m not convinced that a new round of tax cuts [was] necessary to bolster the economy.  (I urge Congress to) require that any future tax cuts not result in runaway budget deficits.”
–-Chairman Alan Greenspan of the Federal Reserve, as reported by Associated Press, Feb. 11, 2003

“[President Bush’s] tax package would actually do more harm than good…and surging budget deficits would raise interest rates and lower savings rates, while higher investment income would actually discourage job creation.” --Macroeconomic Advisers, LLC (the firm that created the economic models used for the White House study) Washington Post, April 29, 2003

“The President isn’t seeking a short-term stimulus” to the economy. -- House Financial Services Committee Chairman Mike Oxley (R-OH)

“77% of Americans say that maintaining government services is more important than cutting taxes. Only 34% believe tax cuts will make the economy grow faster.  Some 36% think a tax cut will increase the budget deficit and damage the economy.”  -- Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2003

“For me, the issue is simple. America has bills to pay, and taxes are the wherewithal for paying them. I look askance at people who tell me we can reduce the wherewithal and miraculously end up with more money to pay our bills.” – William Raspberry, Washington Post columnist, May 5, 2003.

Take Action!  ASK YOUR SENATORS AND REPS TO OPPOSE ALL TAX CUTS!
CALL   Congress via the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or EMAIL (visit www.ncced.org/policy, sample letters are available- just click to send).

SAY:  "I'm calling to urge (Senator or Representative _____) to oppose all tax cuts during this legislative session.  No tax cuts should be passed while our communities need investments for job creation and affordable housing.  “These cuts will HURT WORKING FAMILIES and overwhelmingly benefit wealthy individuals who earn more than $320,000 per year.  This tax cut will reduce spending for domestic programs that my community relies on to create jobs, grow businesses, and develop homes that ALLOW AMERICA'S WORKING FAMILIES TO ACHIEVE FINANICAL SUCCESS."

REPORT: Call NCCED's Policy Analyst Erica Lindquist at (202) 289-9020 ext. 135 or email elindquistncced.org. Explain who you contacted, what they said, and any follow-up actions.

For more information on how the tax cuts will result in decreases to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit and other community development programs, visit http://www.ncced.org/policy.