MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 22
ATTENTION: NEWS DESKS AND REPORTERS COVERING WA POLICY
Contact: Kristin Hyde, 206-491-0773, kristin@powerhouse-strategic.com
Childcare Providers, Parents, Small Business Owners & Advocates for Working Families Launch NO on Initiative 2109 Campaign in Burien, Yakima, Vancouver, and Spokane
Burien
What: In-person press event at a child care facility.
When: Wednesday, May 22, 11:00 am
Where: Once Upon A Time Daycare, 11627 3rd Ave S, Burien, WA
The entrance is located on 3rd Ave, street parking available
Yakima
What: In-person press event at a family home child care
When: Wednesday, May 22, 12:00 pm
Where: CasaLuna, 410 N 62nd Ave, Yakima
Vancouver
What: In-person press event at childcare center
When: Wednesday, May 22, 1:00 pm
Where: EOCF 5300, MacArthur Blvd. Vancouver, WA 98661
Spokane
What: In-person press event
When: Wednesday, May 22, 1:45 pm
Where: Community-Minded Enterprises, 55th Avenue Apartments, 3323 E 55th Ave, Spokane, WA 99223
Playground located behind the office building and parking area.
Background
The Children’s Alliance, Save The Children Action Fund, Moms Rising, and many more parents, teachers and community leaders oppose I-2109 because it will cut more than $5 billion over 6 years from education, worsening Washington’s childcare and school funding crisis from Seattle to Wenatchee.
People with and without children oppose I-2109 because I-2109 puts more tax pressure on the rest of us. It carves out a tax cut for a handful of people - fewer than 4,000 wealthy households - shifting more tax responsibility on middle and low income Washingtonians who are already paying the biggest share - up to 17% of their incomes - in state and local taxes.
Washington businesses lose over $2 billion each year due to employees' issues with child care, and I-2109 will worsen this problem by cutting billions from affordable childcare. Plus if I-2109 passes, it will shift more of the tax pressure to small businesses and working families, impacting Washington’s economy. That’s why dozens of small businesses and workers’ unions are united in opposing I-2109.
About I-2109:
Voters this November will decide on whether or not to pass Initiative 2109, to cut over $5 billion in 6 years from education, childcare, and early learning to hand a tax cut to the wealthiest 0.02% Washingtonians.
Initiative 2109 would repeal the state’s capital gains excise tax on extraordinary profits. The latest data from the Department of Revenue shows that fewer than 4,000 Washingtonians paid the tax last year. It generated nearly $900 million with a 7% tax on nearly $13 billion in stock profits going to super-rich Washingtonians.
The money raised by the capital gains tax goes to funding education, childcare and early learning. Sales of real estate, retirement assets, small businesses, and farms are exempted. It applies only to annual profits above $262,000 a year from the sales of financial assets such as stocks and bonds.
Recent polling shows that voters resoundingly oppose Initiative 2109, with 62% opposed and only 32% in support. While it is clear that voters see through this cynical attempt to rob kids and families of vital education funding in order to pay for a tax cut for the rich, the NO on I-2109 campaign is not taking anything for granted. I-2109 sponsor and hedge fund mega-millionaire Brian Heywood could potentially put millions of his own money into misleading ads. This is why the NO on I-2109 campaign is mobilizing a grassroots coalition of childcare providers, teachers parents, small business owners, and taxpayers to ensure voters understand what is at stake this November.
