Saturday, April 14, 2007

Action: On Tax Day – Where Is Your Money Going?




Legislative Action Message





Action: On Tax Day – Where Is Your Money Going?

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Read this alert online at: http://www.fcnl.org/action/2007/lam0412.htm

Taxes. We know they’re important, but almost everyone dreads the task
of paying them.The next few days are a great time to remind your local
media of just how much money the United States government spends on
war, and how little money is devoted to preventing wars, protecting the
environment, and responding to poverty in the U.S.

FCNL’s budget team calculates that 41 cents out of every dollar that you
pay in 2006 federal income taxes before April 17 goes to the military –
to pay for both current and past military activities. That figure is the
clearest reflection of how the federal government spends your tax dollars.
Of every dollar you pay in taxes:

  • 1 cent goes to diplomacy and development;
  • 5 cents goes to education, job training, and social services
  • 12 cents goes to respond to poverty in the United States
  • 41 cents goes to war

This budget is out of balance. And it will get more out of balance in the
next year. Congress will vote next week to pay another $100 billion for
the war and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Shouldn’t the government
spend more to prevent war, address the environmental challenges facing
this country, and promote education? Join the debate about federal taxes.

Take Action

The focus on tax day in your local community, in your local newspapers,
and in Congress provides an opportunity to challenge federal spending
priorities.
Here are three ways you can refocus attention on new federal policies:


  1. Print out copies of FCNL’s “Where Do Our Income Tax Dollars Go” flyer ( PDF) and distribute it in your community;
  2. Write a message to your local newspapers and send them a copy of FCNL’s tax day flyer;
  3. Write your representative and urge her or him to cosponsor legislation that would permit conscientious objectors to war to pay their taxes into an Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund

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