Fair Share Reform Rally Draws Huge Crowd

A huge crowd came out to rally for the Fair Share Tax Reform plan at 5pm today at the Liberty Pole. The plan calls for raising taxes on New Yorkers who make over $250,000 to offset the projected state budget deficit of $15 billion dollars. The plan is an alternative to Governor Patterson's current proposal which includes a gigantic $9 billion of cuts to social services, education and health care. The rally was part of a series of rallies happening today in New York State.

Rosemary Rivera, an organizer for the event, said, "We wanted to send a coordinated message across the state that we have to find a different way [to address the budget crisis] than hack away at social services. And there is a way. That way is fair share tax reform."

The rally itself was creative and diverse. It included drumming and singing by the Rochester Freedom School, the Raging Grannies and many chants. Mike Connely, a local Peace Activist, spoke to the crowd using the persona of billionaire Simpsons character, Montgomery Burns, "Rich people have it great here. We have, in effect, a flat tax in New York State. $25,000 is the highest tax bracket which is basically poverty level." After the rally he said, "It was a great crowd. All kinds of people came together today. Labor groups, peace groups, working people, poor people. A lot of great organization work went in to today."

The rally was the one step in a series of actions planned in the Rochester area. To see more upcoming events check out can be found on the Rochester Section of the Fair Share Webpage