Revenue

Theological/Ethical Reflection

• We are created for community
• Community requires equity
• Government is responsible for the common good thus government should provide essential services.
• One level of government should not pass its responsibilities to another level.

The Problem

• New York is dealing with a $5 billion dollar shortfall by cutting services
• Education, health care and human service cuts hurt everyone in the state.
• State funding cuts for necessary services means local communities will have to pay for these services, thus driving local taxes higher.

What would help

• close loopholes that allow multi-national corporations to avoid state taxes by hiding income and shipping profits out of New
  York  (saving $1 billion).
• Minimize private consultants doing the jobs state workers can do more inexpensively (saving $250 million).
• Lower drug prices for state and local governments by using New York’s purchasing power to force lower prescription drug prices
  (saving $1 billion).
• End economic development programs that don’t create jobs (saving $250 million).
• Make polluters pay under Governor Pataki’s plan to cap carbon emissions (generating up to $500 million).

3/2004