Taxing times for Rhode Islanders

As the price of gas hits a local high, a coalition of groups plans to make a point tomorrow -- April 15, of course -- about the high cost of the war in Iraq. We at the Phoenix have previously written about that subject here.

Activists from American Friends Service Committee, the Campaign for Rhode Island's Priorities, Declaration of Peace Campaign RI, and Ocean State Action will speak out on the high cost of war to Rhode Island taxpayers. The groups will kick off a day of collective action with a brief press conference scheduled for 11:30 am at the state's main post office on Corliss Street, Providence. 

 

Throughout the day, activists, advocates and local taxpayers will organize late tax filers at post offices throughout the state, inviting them to take action by calling on lawmakers to fix the upside-down priorities of both the Bush & Carcieri administrations. 

 

Martha Yager, of American Friends Service Committee states, "Rhode Islanders have spent $4.3 billion on the war in Iraq.  With that money, we could have avoided the state's deficit; funded Head Start, health care and education, and have been ready to help families hit hard by the state's recession. Instead, the death-toll in Iraq continues to rise and we face even worsening human cost at home as our human needs programs get slashed." 

 

WHAT:            Post office action to call for end of war in Iraq and expensive tax breaks for the wealthy in order to re-invest in Rhode Island's future

WHO:              Martha Yager, American Friends Service Committee; Representative Art Handy; Senator Josh Miller; Andrew Saud, Declaration of Peace RI; Jac Amoureux, Military Families Speak Out; and John Glasheen, Unitarians for Social Justice and member of the Campaign for Rhode Island's Priorities   

WHEN:            April 15, 2009, 11:30 am

WHERE:         Corliss Street Post Office, Providence