Fair Taxation
Tax fairness is the key to a fair economy, where the cost of maintaining a common government is shared on the basis of one's ability to pay.
UFE works on two main areas of tax fairness: federal and state. At the federal level, our main campaign is to preserve the estate tax. At the state level, we have formed the Tax Fairness Organizing Collaborative to support groups working for fair tax policies.
Estate TaxThe federal estate tax is the country's most progressive tax, and its only wealth tax. It helps prevent the concentration of wealth that weakens democracy.
99.7 percent of US residents will never have to pay it, because it is paid only out of the estates of super-wealthy Americans after they die and before their bequests are distributed to their heirs.
UFE has been working to preserve the estate tax since 1999.
Tax Fairness Organizing Collaborative
UFE brings together dozens of state groups organizing and educating for fair taxation in the Tax Fairness Organizing Collaborative (TFOC). TFOC meets regularly via teleconference and face-to-face, to discuss common issues and share solutions.
The Latest
We Have Plenty Of Money. The Rich Are Killing Us (Working Life)
Jonathan Tasini examines the weak aspects of the Wall Street bailout and offers other suggestions to help the troubled economy. Working Life. November 11, 2008.
Palin's Kind Of Patriotism (International Herald Tribune)
Thomas Friedman slams Sarah Palin's view that taxes are unpatriotic and says that helping to fund our government is quite patriotic. International Herald Tribune. October 8, 2008.
Tax The Speculators: A Fair Plan To Pay for Economic Recovery (The Nation)
UFE co-founder Chuck Collins proposes concrete, legislative solutions to the current economic meltdown. September 19, 2008.
Obama's Tax Cuts Would Go to the Middle-Class, McCain's Would Go to the Wealthy...
(PDF)
The Center for Tax Justice published a press release clarifying the tax proposals of the two major presidential candidates. September 12, 2008.
Action Tools for Evaluating Candidates
Tax policy is a key method for addressing economic inequities.
But it can be difficult to evaluate a candidate's position on taxes.
That's why we created these Action Tools. April 24, 2008.
More Background & Resources on Tax Fairness
Massachusetts votes are facing the most extreme anti-tax proposal in the entire country: a ballot initiative to eliminate the state's income tax. Passage of Question 1 would devastate public services and increase inequality. Vote No on Question 1! Click here for more information and what you can do to help defeat Question 1.
Oregon's Measure 59
Oregon Voters are facing a ballot initiative- Measure 59- that would give wealthy Oregonians a big tax break at the expense of important public services. Vote No on Measure 59! Click here for more information and what you can do to help defeat Measure 59.
The Tax-Cut Con, By Paul Krugman, NY Times
Excerpt: "When the ''guy on the news'' asks whether we can afford a tax cut,
he's asking whether, after yet another tax cut goes through, there will
be enough money to pay for those things. And the answer is no. But
it's very difficult to get that answer across in modern American
politics, which has been dominated for 25 years by a crusade against
taxes. I don't use the word ''crusade'' lightly. The advocates of tax cuts are relentless, even fanatical." September 14, 2003. Read the full article...