Kevin Knudsen is walking to Olympia with the People’s Walk to call for funding higher education. As higher ed funding slips, many would-be students are deprived of the opportunity for education. That hurts our entire community in the long term. And as Kevin points out, it’s not just education funding cuts that are selling our future short–cuts to healthcare, social services, mental health, and support for struggling families show that we’re on the wrong moral track. That’s Why We Walk.
Walking for Education funding
Why We Walk: Tom Nogler
Tom Nogler, a mental health worker at BHR (Olympia), explains why he is participating in the 50-mile, 5-day People’s Walk for Our Future Participants are walking to the State Capitol in Olympia to insist that legislators protect essential healthcare, education and social service programs by closing frivolous tax loopholes benefiting banks and wealthy corporations. Our state budget is a moral document–and should put people first!
The People’s Walk is wrapping up Day 1 with a 5:30 visit to the Eastside Community Health Center at 1708 E 44th St in Tacoma. Join us there, or join part of the walk Friday morning as we get started outside the Bank of America–noted tax dodgers!–at 3408 S. 23rd St. in Tacoma.
Join the People’s Walk for Our Future!
This month, in response to the billions of dollars in cuts to health care, disability lifeline, housing, public safety, education, and funds to protect the environment, thousands of us occupied the Capitol, slept on the marble floors, and rallied for revenue.
From all corners of the state, and all walks of life, we made our voices heard, and challenged our political leaders to make a moral choice: protect the wealthiest in our state by continuing tax breaks for special interests or raise revenue to protect children, seniors and our communities?
Our movement is gaining momentum. This week, key legislative allies began to introduce legislation to fund basic human services by closing tax loopholes. But we must keep up the pressure. That’s why this Thursday, April 14, faith leaders, community members, and labor allies will start a People’s Walk for Our Future. Over the course of 5 days, we’re walking from Auburn to Olympia, highlighting the human impact of budget cuts, and assigning blame to the wealthy corporations whose frivolous tax breaks are draining our state’s coffers.
The People’s Walk gets started in Auburn on Thursday morning, with numerous stops over the next 5 days. Click here for the People’s Walk schedule.
Get involved! Call the People’s Walk hotline, at 206-713-5675!
3rd Day of Protest – SEIU 1199 & 775 are in the house!
More than 1000 strong health care workers and activists took over the Capitol Building on the the 3rd day of this Week of Action. The Rotunda had turned purple!
The crowd marched from Sylvester Park, stopped by and shamed CHASE Bank, and marched onward to the Capitol. They filled the halls of the legislature building chanting:
WE DO WANT? JUSTICE! WHEN DO WE WANT IT? NOW!
THIS IS OUR HOUSE!
When a crowd of 200 SEIU members marched into the Governor’s Office to demand to speak with her, they were met with 20 state patrols and some 10 people were arrested.
Stand with us! CLOSE TAX LOOPHOLES!!! 800-562-6000
This is what Democracy looks like!
It’s 11:30 PM on Tuesday night, April 6th – we’re still here! Hundreds of community members came out today to demand that lawmakers protect people not corporations by closing tax loopholes to save health care and education programs. We rallied in the Rotunda, crashed the Ways and Means committee meeting on the budget, did actions in the House and Senate floors, and then we took out our sleeping bags and decided to move in until our demands were met. We’re still here!
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And, we’ll still be here tomorrow. Join us for the rest of the Week of Action. The work is never done and we need you!
Last Call for Week of Action!
If you haven’t signed up already, do it TODAY. Demand that lawmakers close tax breaks for special interests instead of cutting people off of life saving services.
April 5th Call to Action
Demand a fair budget on Tuesday, April 5th! Check out this video featuring local Olympia community members. Sign up attend the week of action and get your friends and family to stand up for what’s right.
RSVP for the APRIL 6th Bus!
We’re a week away from the Community Action Day! Seats for the buses on are limited. RSVP seats with Teresa teresa@washingtoncan.org
North Seattle Stop
Ravenna Park & Ride, NE 65th and 8th AVE NE Seattle
Line up time 9:45 AM
Central Seattle Stop
Casa Latina, 317 17th AVE S Seattle (corner of 17th & Jackson)
Line up time 9:45AM
South King County Stop
OUR Washington, 144 SW 153rd St, Burien
Line up time: 10:30AM
East King County Stop
Crossroads Mall, 15600 NE 8th St # K1, Bellevue
Line up time 10:30AM
Spokane Bus Stop
4110 East Sprague, Spokane (KMART parking lot)
Line up time: 6:40AM
Yakima Bus Stop /Time TBA
SIGN UP for the APRIL 6th COMMUNITY ACTION DAY
On April 6th 2011, community groups, teachers, students, immigrants, and faith leaders are turning up the heat. We are demanding that the budget is not balanced on the backs of people, that corporate tax loopholes are closed, and that Washington State lawmakers prioritize racial and economic equity.
**PEOPLE NOT PROFITS**
**STAND WITH THE COMMUNITY**
We begin at NOON on Wednesday, April 6 at the Capitol Theater (206 5th AVE SE ) in Olympia. Sign up online for more information, or call Jill Mangaliman (206)805-6678.
Food and translation are provided. We will have accessible transportation and activities for children available.
Rally to Protect Our Future
Today, thousands of people will be down at the Capitol calling on lawmakers to close tax loopholes to protect core services for the most vulnerable in our state. More than $12 billion have been cut from essential services over the past three years. These budget cuts mean people will go without health care, children will go to school and sit in overcrowded classrooms, seniors won’t get help with their prescriptions, and many others will suffer.
At a time when lawmakers are cutting children and schools, they are also protecting tax breaks for the rich. Right now, Washington state gives away $6.5 billion in tax breaks for special interests like private jet owners, big Wall Street banks, and elective cosmetic surgery (think botox for fun). Many of the tax breaks currently on the books haven’t been reviewed in years and it is unclear if they are producing the benefits they were intended to create for the people of Washington.
In order to protect our future, we must invest in the health and well-being of every Washingtonian. Today’s rally in Olympia is just the start. A delegation of community members and groups will be delivering a letter of demands to the Governor and Senate and House leadership urging them to close tax loopholes to promote racial and economic equity in Washington. We’ll wait for a response and in April…we’ll take to the streets! Read the Letter of Demands.
