Fair Share Reform Rally Draws Huge Crowd

<img src="http://rochester.indymedia.org/usermedia/image/8/rally-wide.jpg" alt="" /> <p>A huge crowd came out to rally for the <a href="http://fairsharereform.com/">Fair Share Tax Reform</a> 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. </p > <p> 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." </p > <p> 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." </p > <p>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 <a href="http://fairsharereform.com/local/c/rochester_area/">Rochester Section of the Fair Share Webpage</a> </p > <p>Click the "More" link below to see pictures of the rally</p > <p><a href="/newsite/node/6857">Read Full Article</a></p>

<p><img src="http://rochester.indymedia.org/usermedia/image/8/rally-wide.jpg" alt="" /> </p><p>A huge crowd came out to rally for the <a href="http://fairsharereform.com/">Fair Share Tax Reform</a> 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. </p> <p> 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." </p> <p> 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." </p> <p>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 <a href="http://fairsharereform.com/local/c/rochester_area/">Rochester Section of the Fair Share Webpage</a> </p> <p>Click the "More" link below to see pictures of the rally</p> <p><a href="/newsite/node/6857">Read Full Article</a></p>