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Class Action is developing this part of our web site to
include a range of issues linked to class, including education,
health care, housing, taxes, and wage inequality. Most
important organizing work is done at the local level, in
your community. We feature this national activity
as a resource. We welcome your ideas and suggestions!
March 2006 Actions Against Classism
Challenge Class Bias in Tax Enforcement
There is a tremendous class bias in how the Internal Revenue Service enforces tax laws.
Over the last decade, Congress has weakened IRS enforcement, particularly of the very rich. The IRS enforcement arms have been handcuffed and discouraged from pursuing wealthy individual and corporate tax cheats. At the same time, they’ve increased oversight of low-income people who file for the Earned Income Credit, only used by working families with incomes under $35,000. Meanwhile, in 2002, the IRS assessed just 22 negligence penalties against 2.5 million corporations, a decline of more than 99 percent from 1993 when nearly 2,400 penalties were imposed.
According to New York Times reporter David Cay Johnston, the likelihood of being audited for using the Earned Income Credit is eight times greater than audits on people with incomes over $100,000.
The One America coalition, chaired by former Senator John Edwards, is taking on this issue of unfair audits and enforcement. You can take action by linking to One America at: http://ga3.org/campaign/stopthefreeze/forward
More Actions Against Classism...
February 2006: Demand that Big Businesses Pay their Fair Share of Health Care
January 2006: Continue Efforts to Stop the Classist Federal Spending Bill
December 2005: Stop the Classist Budget
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