Anti-Austerity Alliance Wins in Illinois

[marmar]

from In The Times:





Anti-Austerity Alliance Wins in Illinois
A 300-member coalition helps raise taxes to save essential services.

By David Moberg


Last April, Sandra Wiekerson took a day off from her work caring for elderly people in their homes on Chicago’s northwest side. She joined 15,000 other Illinoisans in the state capital of Springfield for a historic rally and lobbying day.

“Raise my taxes,” they chanted. “Show some guts, stop the cuts.” Participants in the ‘Save Our State’ rally, one of the largest demonstrations ever directed at the Illinois legislature, urged the state government to raise taxes so it could pay for essential services, including $6 billion in unpaid bills carried over from the previous year.

The Responsible Budget Coalition (RBC) called the rally as part of a long, multifaceted campaign to fix fundamental flaws in the state’s tax structure that the recession worsened. The RBC is comprised of more than 300 groups, including social service agencies reimbursed by the state, public employee unions, and community, religious and citizen advocacy groups concerned about the welfare of vulnerable populations.

Wiekerson, 58, represents both dimensions: As a member of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), she wants to preserve her own job. But she is also committed to her clients, who include an elderly man with heart problems and glaucoma, confined to a wheelchair with no family to help him. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/6945/anti-austerity_alliance_wins_in_illinois

[xchrom]

1. Hell to the yes - that's awesome. Nt

[madrchsod]

2. the unions in wisconsin should top the 15,000 we had in springfield.

15,000 plus around the capital in madison would shut the city down.