WHEREAS:
President Bush and the congressional majority continue, year after year, to underfund vital domestic priorities including health care, public safety, education, child care, Head Start, the Employment Service and housing, turning their backs on America’s children, seniors, veterans and working families; and

WHEREAS:
President Bush’s budget policies continue to call for major cuts in grants to state and local governments, forcing them to choose between continuing to provide important human services, cutting other state or local programs, or raising their own taxes to make up for lost federal revenues; and

WHEREAS:
In 2006, the congressional majority passed, and President Bush signed, an additional $70 billion in tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, with households with incomes over $1 million getting an average tax break of $42,000 and middle-income households (the middle 20 percent of the income range) receiving an average tax cut of just $20; and

WHEREAS:
The reckless fiscal policies of the Bush Administration and the congressional majority have resulted in escalating federal budget deficits and ballooning federal debt, threatening the economic future of our children; and

WHEREAS:
Bush Administration budget and tax policies have resulted in a tighter squeeze for working families, as health care premiums have risen, college tuition has skyrocketed, housing affordability has declined, job creation has been the worst since Herbert Hoover, and long term joblessness has risen dramatically. 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will oppose any federal budget plan that underfunds vital domestic services, including health care, public safety, education, child care, Head Start,  the Employment Service, housing, and other needs of children, seniors, veterans and working families; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will work to support federal budget policies that fully fund vital domestic services to ease the burden on state and local governments that provide these services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will oppose federal tax policies that increase tax breaks for the richest taxpayers and large corporations, including President Bush’s proposal to make permanent the repeal of the estate tax, extend reduced tax rates for capital gains and dividends, and reduce taxes on the highest income brackets; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That the irresponsible tax reductions for the wealthiest Americans and corporations must be rescinded.
 
 
SUBMITTED BY: Danny Homan, President and Delegate
Kay Gill, Secretary-Treasurer and Delegate
AFSCME Council 61

John M. Craig, President and Delegate
AFSCME Local 1185, Council 61

Iowa