Send your letter to the editor now

Send Your Letter to the Editor Now!

Ask WA Supreme Court to Uphold Capital Gains Tax on Super-Rich

Why now: On January 26, the WA Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments on whether to uphold $500 million a year in funding for childcare and education with a capital gains tax on the super-rich. Now is the time to weigh in and show public support for making Washington’s tax system more fair.

Click on the link of your local news outlet to get started.

5 TIPS TO GET YOUR LETTER PUBLISHED

1. Keep your letter to 100 – 200 words.

2. WHO you are and why you’re writing.

Example: I’m a mom in Edmonds and I’m excited about more options for child care that are coming if the Supreme Court upholds the capital gains tax on the rich.
Example: As a local business owner here in Spokane, if the Supreme Court upholds the capital gains tax, my employees will have more options for child care and parents will see more investments in education.

3. WHY the Supreme Court should uphold the capital gains tax on the super-rich.

Example: Childcare, preschool, and other education are funded by a new tax on capital gains, profits of more than $250,000 from the sale of stocks and bonds. Less than 1% of Washingtonians will pay this tax, but everyone will benefit.
Example: This law affects less than 8,200 households in the state, less than 0.2% of Washington taxpayers. The remaining 99.8% of us will benefit from this law.
Example: The capital gains tax is a good step to making sure everyone is paying their share in taxes and supporting the services — like early learning and education — that we all benefit from.
Example: We can make sure that every community has what they need to thrive when we insist that every person pays their share in taxes.
Example: The capital gains tax is a constitutional excise tax. Extremely wealthy Washingtonians are trying to have it struck down because they don’t want to pay their fair share.
Example: Washington’s upside-down tax code perpetuates wealth disparities built upon institutional racism by disproportionately burdening those least able to pay, particularly BIPOC communities. The capital gains tax is an important step toward fixing this.
Example: Washington has a deeply regressive state and local tax code, meaning that rural families pay a much larger share than the wealthiest individuals, the vast majority of whom live in urban areas. The capital gains tax helps to fix this disparity.

4. SIGN it!

Don’t forget to sign your name. Some outlets also require the city where you live, email, phone, and your address.

SAMPLE LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Soon the Washington State Supreme Court will have the opportunity to help fix Washington’s upside-down tax code by upholding the capital gains tax on the super rich.

As a single mom in Enumclaw, it’s unfair that I pay a larger share in taxes than mega-millionaires and billionaires, most of whom live in urban areas like King County.

The capital gains tax on the super rich will only affect 0.2% of Washingtonians, approximately 8200 of the wealthiest people in the entire state. The rest of the 99.8% of us, especially single mothers like me, will benefit from the increased investments in childcare and education. I urge the Supreme Court to do the right thing and uphold the capital gains tax.

Janet Smith, 1649 Main Street, Enumclaw, WA

(555)555-5555 janetsmith@yahoo.com