2/28/02

The state is talking about cutting health care programs, education, and assistance for disabled Vermonters. We already under-fund things like childcare, adult education, and employment training.

Let's be clear: cutting state services when they're most needed is just plain stupid. Vermonters often don't get paid enough or have health insurance from their jobs as it is. And the state wants to make things worse?!!!

The state budget cuts are an attack on the majority of Vermonters. They are an attack on working Vermonters. Over the last decade, the rich have profited from tax cuts while regular Vermonters have seen their real wages go down. How did the state respond to this situation?

Instead of planning for harder times, the State gave away its surplus to the rich in two separate tax cuts. I think we all better take a long, hard look at our democracy. We need a government which serves the majority, not the rich.

Listen, I load trucks for a living. When ENRON pays less tax than me, something's rotten.

The solution to our budget problems is NOT laying off state employees. It is NOT more short staffing for state workers. It is NOT wage cuts for state employees.

Instead, we need to use rainy day funds. We need to reverse the state income tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. We need to have a more progressive income tax. We need to tax stocks and bonds the same we way we tax paychecks.

You can tell me again and again there's no class war in Vermont..... but there is. It's a war by the rich and state government on working people. I say tax the rich, take back the budget cuts, and keep our badly needed public services during hard times. We must all rise together.