We the People Wednesdays Action for June 24
ACTION 1:
Pennsylvania offers 2 tax credit programs that allow businesses and individuals to divert state tax payments from the state’s general fund to scholarships for students who attend private schools. The current state budget allocated $575 million to these programs, which are funded by tax dollars diverted from the state budget, not donations of private dollars. Pennsylvania law allows private and religious schools that receive these tax dollars to discriminate against students for reasons including their sex, disabilities, sexual orientation, pregnancy, religious beliefs, and gender identity or expression. There is no evidence that low-income students are the primary beneficiaries of this funding. House Bill 2632 passed the State House this week to add transparency and accountability to these programs by targeting resources to students who need them the most, requiring more transparency about where tax dollars go and who receives them, and requiring audits and reporting to guard against the misuse of tax dollars. Now the bill goes to the PA Senate.
Write to your State Senator urging support for HB2632. Adapt this sample text:
Dear Senator Haywood,
Please support HB2632 to bring some accountability and transparency to the EITC and OSTC programs.
Sincerely,
<your name and zip>
State Senator Art Haywood
10 East Wing
Senate Box 203004
Harrisburg, PA 17120
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ACTION 2:
During the illegal renaming of the Kennedy Center, Andrew Martin became a citizen journalist, trusted by a huge following. Separate from his day job as librarian of the NLRB, he biked daily to the Kennedy Center and posted photos of himself in front of the wall, holding a copy of the day’s New York Times for authentication. There was a lot of fake AI, and he became the voice of truth. People said things like "We will believe it when the Librarian Bike Guy confirms.”
Write to thank Andrew. Adapt this sample text:
Dear Andrew,
Thanks for your citizen reporting on the truth at the Kennedy Center.
Sincerely,
<your name and zip>
Andrew Martin
NLRB Library
1015 Half Street SE
Washington, D.C. 20570-0001