Middle-Class Iowans in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Sioux City Demand Congress End Bush Tax Cuts for Wealthiest 2%, Prevent Cuts to Social Services
Des Moines, Iowa – Progress Iowa and local activists joined Iowa taxpayers at Sen. Chuck Grassley’s offices in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Sioux City, and Waterloo Sunday, to hold “Don’t Drop the Ball on the Middle Class” rallies in support of tax fairness. Organizers planned the event to call attention to the risks Iowans face if Sen. Grassley and tea party Republicans like Tom Latham fail to act by the time the ball drops in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. If no deal is reached to avert the fiscal cliff, Iowans will face massive tax increases and benefit cuts that disproportionately burden middle class families.
Sunday’s events were part of a statewide series of events and other events being organized across the country in partnership with the national coalition The Action.
“Iowans are tired of waiting for Grassley and his colleagues to actually take action to prevent middle-class families from ringing in the new year with less money in their pockets,” said Matt Sinovic, Executive Director of Progress Iowa. “Over 800 Iowans submitted petition signatures and letters in support of tax fairness to Senator Grassley this week, yet he still hasn’t committed to make sure millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share. Grassley should stand up for Iowa families before the new year arrives, instead of dropping the ball on the middle class.”
Progress Iowa has been working in conjunction with AFSCME Iowa Council 61, Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans, Iowa Citizen Action Network, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, Working Families Win, SEIU Local 199, South Central Iowa Federation of Labor, Citizens for a Healthy Iowa, and League of United Latin American Citizens to organize events this week and in the coming weeks with a focus on tax fairness and the “fiscal cliff.”
Middle class Iowans are gathering in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Sioux City, Waterloo and around the country to tell Congress: “It’s time to set our priorities straight–tax cuts for the wealthy means fewer Pell Grants, cuts to Medicare and Social Security benefits, and more kids shoved into crowded classrooms.”
For more information about this ongoing issue campaign, visit www.iowansfortaxfairness.com or www.theaction.org.
Photos from the rally in Des Moines are available for publication at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/90613260@N07/sets/72157632384233823/