A message from PSC-CUNY (the CUNY faculty and staff union):

The One New York coalition, of which the PSC is a member, is sponsoring a rally at City Hall on March 5 at 4 pm to make visible New Yorkers’ – and the NYC labor movement’s – support for fair share tax reform as the best and smartest way to deal with the City and State budget problems. The PSC supports the One New York proposal to close the budget gap by asking New Yorkers who make more than $250,000 a year to pay a bit more.

The basic idea of the Fair Share plan is to make the tax structure more progressive in New York State, or rather to restore its lost progressive structure:

Fair Share Tax Reform will raise sorely needed revenue and reduce the magnitude of painful cuts to healthcare, education and other essential services New Yorkers rely on every day.

A fair solution to the budget crisis will have to include cuts to popular programs -- but the wealthiest New Yorkers must also pitch in and shoulder a reasonable share of the burden. Working families should not bear the brunt of the budget crisis alone.

Fair Share Tax Reform would roll back tax cuts for the wealthiest New Yorkers. Over the last 30 years,New York has reduced income tax rates for the wealthiest New Yorkers by 50% and eliminated high income tax brackets, resulting in $8 billion of lost revenue each year.

As a result, working class families and the very rich pay now the same marginal tax rate – 6.85%

The proposed change in the tax structure in New York State would only affect the wealthiest 3.2% of tax filers. Here is a breakdown by district.

More information and you can sign up at the Rally Page. You can download a flyer here.

Please come and show your support for tax fairness in New York.