Howie Hawkins on Tax Reform

	Howie Hawkins on Tax Reform Green Party Challenger for President

Better to tax the rich than borrow and pay interest to them

We are going to pay for this Green New Deal with more progressive taxes on income, wealth, and estates; with ecological taxes on carbon and resource extraction; and with expansive monetary policies. The budget for the ecosocialist Green New Deal requires about $2 trillion a year. Some of this money will come from a more just tax system. It is better to tax the rich upfront than to borrow money from them and transfer more of our wealth to them through interest payments on the debt. Source: Declaration of Candidacy for the Green Party Nomination , May 28, 2019

Graduated wealth tax & graduated estate tax

A VOTE FOR THE GREEN TICKET IS A VOTE FOR:

Transition from Forward-Based Imperialism to Home-Based Defense
A Global Green New Deal--Invest the Peace Dividend from Military Spending Cuts in Clean Energy and Basic Human Needs

PROGRESSIVE TAXATION

lncome and Wealth Taxes
More Progressive Personal Income Taxes
Higher Corporate Income Taxes
A Graduated Wealth Tax
A Graduated Estate Tax
Eco-Taxes
A Progressive Carbon Tax with Rebates to Low-to-Moderate Income People
A Land Value Tax on Unearned Appreciation of Land Site Values Due to Social Investments

DEMOCRACY

Instant-Runoff Voting for President
Abolish the Electoral College
Proportional Representation in Congress
Abolish the US Senate
End Voter Suppression
Promote Community Assemblies with a Federal Grant Program
Full Public Campaign Financing
Adopt the We the People Amendment--End the Corporate Personhood and the Money Is Speech Doctrines

Source: 2020 Presidential Campaign website HowieHawkins.us , May 19, 2019

Local property taxes upstate are the highest in the nation

The first and only Democratic primary debate between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his opponent Cynthia Nixon covered a lot of topics. Geographically, the furthest upstate the debate got was the Tappan Zee Bridge.

The Green Party's Howie Hawkins, took notice. "Most of the debate was about New York City. Those of us upstate were wondering if we're watching an election about where we live," said gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins.

Hawkins says he would have liked to have seen more discussion on how property taxes should be reduced. "They've been going up and up. The state is balancing the budget on the backs of local property taxpayers. Taxes upstate are the highest in the nation," said Hawkins.

And Hawkins hopes that once attention turns to the general election, candidates from outside the two-party system will be invited to participate. "We should have a series of debates around the state and let the voters really get a chance to hear what we all have to offer," said Hawkins.

Source: Capital Region Spectrum News on 2018 New York governor race , Aug 30, 2018

Simple, steeply progressive wealth & income taxes

Simple, steeply progressive wealth and income taxes. Make the super-rich and the giant corporations pay their fair share. Cut military spending deeply. Eliminate corporate welfare through various deductions and exemptions. Put economic development aid on the budget, not hidden in the tax code. Source: 2006 Congressional National Political Awareness , Nov 1, 2006

Shift to progressively-graduated income and wealth taxes

Cut the property, sales, and payroll taxes that overburden working families. Shift the tax burden to simple, no-loopholes, progressively-graduated income and wealth taxes. Make corporations and the rich pay their fair share. Source: 2006 Senate campaign website, hawkinsforsenate.org, "Issues" , Jun 30, 2006