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Council At-Large candidate David Schwartzman urges steps to ensure DC services, fix the budget during the nation's economic crisis

David Schwartzman for DC Council (At-Large)
http://www.davidschwartzman.com

For immediate release:
Monday, September 29, 2008

Contact:
David Schwartzman, At-Large, Council, 202-829-9063, dschwartzman@gmail.com
Scott McLarty, DC Statehood Green Party Media Coordinator,
202-518-5624, cell 202-904-7614, mclarty@greens.org

WASHINGTON, DC -- David Schwartzman, DC Statehood Green Party candidate for City Council (At-Large) in Washington, DC, called for the city's 'rainy day' fund to be used for budget shortfalls, and other measures to ensure essential services during the current economic crisis.

"We must not have a repeat of the Financial Control Board days when the budget was balanced on the backs of working people and poor residents of the District," said Mr. Schwartzman. "The rainy day money should be used to cover any deficits, and to prevent cuts in the already austere FY 2009 budget, which shortchanges middle- and low-income people in DC. Mayor Fenty dipped into the rainy day fund to cover the escalating costs of the youth summer job progra, he should do likewise now to avoid hurtful budget cut."

"Furthermore, now is the time to hike the income tax rate on DC millionaires and the top 5% income bracket to pump in supplementary funding to this budget, and give tax relief to the working class, similar to Obama's pledges regarding what he will do as President in restructuring the federal income tax" he added.

Mr. Schwartzman noted that Congress restricts the use of the District's approximately $200 million rainy-day fund, saying, "This is one of the many reasons we need DC statehood. We need to abolish Congress's power to impose financial policies that we don't want. We won't gain control over our laws and budgets with the 'DC Voting Rights' legislation that merely gives us a single voting seat in the US House."

David Schwartzman, testifying before the Council's Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs in January, 2008, listed steps to ensure fiscal stability while meeting the needs of the District's neediest, especially children. (The testimony is appended below.) "These measures, if enacted now, would provide both a balanced budget and essential services during financial meltdown that threatens the nation's economic stability," he said.

Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney published a ten-point list of solutions and reforms in response to the financial crisis, titled "Seize the Time" (http://votetruth08.com/index.php/learn/mckinney-messages). On Tuesday, the Green Party of the United States called for protections for US taxpayers and systemic solutions to address the crisis (http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=107). Greens all over the US have strongly criticized the proposed bailout and offered alternative plans .

Public Oversight Roundtable on Poverty Issues, Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs, January 16, 2008

Testimony given by David Schwartzman http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org/testimony/testimony.php?annc_id=228§ion_id=1

Given the increasing likelihood for an upcoming recession and who will bear the brunt of its effects, the challenge of progressive restructuring of DC's taxes is now even more imperative to insure a revenue base to meet the needs of the poor. According to Ed Lazere (DC Fiscal Policy Insitute) in the last recession, in 2002, DC passed the budget in May and discovered a $300 million revenue hole two months later. Lets not get into a recession and hear that the "surplus" is gone, we don't have the money in our budget.

The DC Statehood Green Party has long urged a fundamental restructuring of our local taxes. Fair Taxes for DC called for repeal of Tax Parity which has favored wealthy individuals and corporations, lowering sales/excise taxes on essentials and making our DC income tax payment as a flat percentage of the federal (even with the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy the federal structure is still more progressive than DC's income tax). In addition, our real property tax rates should made progressive.

Other steps the Council and Mayor should do asap include:

1) Pass the Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act.

2) Implement Initiative 51 which would provide sunshine (open hearings) for real property tax assessment of commercial and vacant property. Initiative 51 was passed by 80% of DC voters in 1996 but never implemented by the Council as a result of Control Board and corporate pressure. Rescind Council approval of the Small Business Commercial Property Tax Relief Act of 2007 which heavily favors big business.

3) Create a reserve fund targeted for those who will be most impacted by a recession.

Finally, fire Gandhi and reorganize the Office of Tax and Revenue so it truly serves the interests of DC residents, instead of the most affluent and the corrupt.


MORE INFORMATION

DC Statehood Green Party http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org

2008 DC Statehood Green candidates
http://www.statehood4dc.com/home

Joyce Robinson Paul, for US Representative
http://www.statehood4dc.com/jrpaul/home

David Schwartzman, for Council, At-Large
http://www.davidschwartzman.com

Louise Thundercloud, for Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives
http://www.statehood4dc.com/thundercloud

Keith Ware, for US Senator
http://www.statehood4dc.com/ware/home

Cynthia McKinney, for President of the United States
http://www.runcynthiarun.com

Rosa Clemente, for Vice President of the United States
http://www.rosaclemente.com