| Advocates Urge Personal Income Tax Surcharge as Alternative to Cuts |
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| Tuesday, 22 March 2011 11:21 |
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Human service advocates are continuing to press for an extension of the Personal Income Tax (PIT) surcharge on high-income households. Originally passed in 2009, the PIT surcharge could poten¬tially generate $1 billion in additional revenues in FY2011-12 and as much as $5 billion in FY2012-13. “The revenue raised by this surcharge can help to restore proposed cuts to core human ser¬vices such as the closure of 105 senior centers; the loss of 11,000 summer jobs for teens and nearly 5,000 after school program slots for New York City’s youth,” said Nancy Wackstein, Executive Director of United Neighborhood Houses. “In the face of a weak economy, the times call for shared contributions from all New Yorkers in order to preserve essential supports. Balancing the budget on the backs of New York’s neediest and most vulnerable residents would be unfair and unjust.” “Extending the Personal Income Tax (PIT) surcharge, a tax increase on the top five percent of earners (single filers with an income above $200,000, and joint filers with an income above $300,000) would help stave off some of the worst budget cuts and help preserve vital services that more New Yorkers than ever before are rely¬ing on to survive this recession,” said Michael Stoller, HSC’s Executive Director. “The decision not to pursue revenue options creates a tear in the safety net, jeopardizes economic recovery, and means job losses across the State.” Medicaid Matters New York is urging supporters to call Speaker Sheldon Silver at 518-455-3791 to ask that “the Assembly hold strong on their push for raising revenue to help balance the budget.” Similarly, the group is urging calls to Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos at 518-455-3171 to ask that the state “raise revenue rather than balance the budget on the backs of Medicaid beneficiaries.”
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