(via the Illinois Federation of Teachers)
Having trouble swaying an undecided voter into supporting the Fair Tax Amendment? Or, just need more information to convince a Fair Tax supporter actually to go to the polls (either in person or via mail) and vote "Yes"? Use the arguments below to make your point!
Our current tax system is outdated and unfair, burdening the middle- and lower-income families who are suffering the most from the effects of the coronavirus crisis as they try to recover and rebuild. The Fair Tax will set this right by ensuring that taxes for 97% of Illinoisans are lowered or stay the same while investing in the people and communities most impacted by the crisis.
If this pandemic has taught us anything it is that we need to be prepared to fully fund public education and state services. To do that, we need to bring fairness to our tax system so hospitals, school districts, communities, and vital services are properly funded.
We need to fund essential priorities like public health, public safety, schools, and social services. These sectors have been among the hardest hit economically by the pandemic. This crisis has exposed how inadequate our current tax system is at funding the critical health services we count on to protect us, and it unfairly burdens those on the frontlines.
This crisis underscores racial inequities that already plague our communities. Frontline workers who cannot work remotely are at increased risk of exposure. Seniors and people with underlying health conditions face a greater threat of severe illness. Lower-income individuals and families are less able to withstand the loss of jobs and income. And people of color are disproportionately represented in all these groups. Passing the Fair Tax is an important step to address these inequities, allowing anyone who makes less than $250,000 a year to get a tax cut while generating the resources needed to make real investments in programs and services so everyone can be safe and thrive.
This fall, we should all vote YES to reforming our tax system. Vote YES for the 97% of Illinoisans who need protection and support not only during a pandemic but in the future. The recovery will be long and trying but it starts by ensuring that our tax system is fair for working and middle-class families.