TUESDAY: 99% to march peacefully to Wells Fargo, calling on bank to pay their fair share

***MEDIA ADVISORY*** FOR JANUARY 31, 2012   |   CONTACT: Sage Wilson: sage@workingwa.org

• Tax season is here, with W-2 forms appearing in mailboxes across the region and people getting ready to pay what they owe
• Wells Fargo has not paid their fair share: they have paid $0 in net Federal income tax since 2008

Tuesday, more than 200 workers, unemployed people, students, and others from the 99% will hold a peaceful rally and march to Wells Fargo, calling on the bank to pay its fair share of taxes. They will be carrying a giant check showing the $18 billion in special tax benefits Wells Fargo has received from the US Congress.

Wells Fargo has spent millions lobbying in Washington DC and Olympia, and has secured an astonishing $18 billion in special tax benefits since 2008. This has reduced the bank's Federal income tax bill to less than nothing — in fact, they got a $681 million refund. That means that every local resident who paid even a dollar of Federal income tax over the past few years paid a higher effective rate than Wells Fargo — at a time when executive compensation at the bank hit a record high.

When: Tuesday, January 31st, 12:00 noon

Where: Brief rally at Westlake followed by peaceful nonviolent march to Wells Fargo

What/visual: Hundreds in peaceful march and rally to Wells Fargo carrying a giant check from the US Treasury, calling on the bank to pay their fair share. Some in the crowd will be costumed as Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty.

A recent report by the non-partisan Citizens for Tax Justice showed that Wells Fargo has paid $0 in Federal income tax on more than $50 billion in profit in the last few years. The banks' executive compensation pool also hit a new record in 2011. And all this comes at a time when critical public services are being cut at all levels of government and tax fairness has become a key subject of public debate.

Working Washington believes it's time for big companies like Wells Fargo to pay their fair share. Then we'll have the resources we need to create good jobs by investing in the future of our communities.

More information:

Citizens for Tax Justice report "Corporate Tax Payers & Corporate Tax Dodgers" shows how Wells Fargo and other big companies paid less in Federal income tax than they spent on lobbying — despite making big profits.

New Bottom Line report "Pulling Back the Curtain" shows record compensation pools at Wells Fargo and other big banks:

Working Washington is bringing people together to fight for a fair economy. We are speaking out to demand that our political leaders do what it takes to invest in good jobs and move the economy forward. We need jobs — not cuts to funding for education, health care, and other services. For more information, visit WorkingWa.org

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Wells Fargo, worse than we thought.

by Nate Jackson  

We know that Wells Fargo devotes a lot of energy evading taxes, paying more to lobbyists than they do in Federal Income Taxes. A recent report from Citizens for Tax Justice shows Wells Fargo's Federal income tax bill was less than nothing — they got a $681 million refund since 2008. You’ve likely paid a larger percentage of your income in Federal Income Taxes than Wells Fargo did.

We won’t stand for it and we are coming out on January 31st at Westlake Park to show them that we’ve had enough. It’s time for them to pay their fair share.

Here in Washington State, Wells Fargo has lobbied their way out of paying millions in taxes while legislators are still talking about slashing education, health care and social service budgets. We can’t afford to continue handing out tax refunds to big banks while our communities continue to see overcrowded schools, crumbling infrastructure and social services gutted.

At the same time as they spent millions on lobbying to avoid billions in taxes, Wells Fargo awarded record compensation to their executives last year.

It’s just their way of doing business: avoid paying their fair share by putting money in the hands of a few lobbyists, and then rewarding themselves with big bonuses.

They think they can get away with evading their responsibilities. They’re wrong.

On January 31st in Westlake park we are standing together to show the big bank that we’ve had enough of their slick ways. We pay our taxes and so should they.

If the big banks like Wells Fargo and others paid their fair share we could provide our schools the funding they need, invest in quality healthcare, and rebuild our weakened infrastructure.

But Wells Fargo would rather wheel and deal with our elected officials to pay less taxes and grant themselves larger and larger “compensation packages,” unless we do something about it.

This January the 31st at Westlake Park we will show them that we will not sit idly by and let them try to buy our elected officials.

Even Mitt Romney paid more taxes than Wells Fargo!

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - JANUARY 24, 2012*** CONTACT: Sage Wilson: sage@workingwa.org

Wells Fargo Bank paid $0 in Federal income taxes despite billions in profits

Bank's effective tax rate of -1.4% among the lowest of all big companies — and far lower than Mitt Romney's 15%

As controversy swirls around Mitt Romney's low tax rate, a recent report from Citizens for Tax Justice shows that Wells Fargo has paid a far lower effective rate — in fact, their effective Federal tax rate was less than zero. As the report shows, the bank spent millions lobbying to secure $18 billion in special tax benefits over the past few years. That reduced their Federal income tax bill to less than nothing — they received a $681 million tax refund.

While the company avoids paying its fair share of taxes, Wells Fargo executives are doing better than ever: the total compensation pool at the bank hit an all-time high of $26.9 billion, according to the new "Pulling Back the Curtain" report from New Bottom Line. Remarkably, this record level of executive pay comes in a year when the company's stock price was down, and when the average front-line bank teller only earned about $25,000.

Working Washington believes it's time for Wells Fargo to pay their fair share of taxes before they pay out record bonuses to top executives. If Wells Fargo and other big companies would simply pay their fair share, our country would have the resources we need to invest in healthcare, education, and infrastructure programs which are now facing deep cuts.

When: Tuesday, January 31st at 12:00 noon. Click here to sign up.

Where: Rally at Westlake Park, followed by march to Wells Fargo

What: Taxpayers affected by state budget cuts calling on Wells Fargo to pay their fair share.

More information:

• Citizens for Tax Justice report "Corporate Tax Payers & Corporate Tax Dodgers" shows 30 big companies who paid less in Federal income tax than they spent on lobbying — despite making big profits.
• New Bottom Line report "Pulling Back the Curtain" shows record bank compensation pools:

Working Washington is bringing people together to fight for a fair economy. We are speaking out to demand that our political leaders do what it takes to invest in good jobs and move the economy forward. We need jobs — not cuts to funding for education, health care, and other services. For more information, visit WorkingWa.org

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Join with Working Washington to fight for Jobs Not Cuts.

Are you ready to fight for good jobs, rally to hold corporations accountable, and push the politicians to work for all of us — not justthe top 1%?

Then we need your energy, your talents, and your help!

You’re invited to attend the first meeting of the Working Washington All-City Organizing Committee and get more involved in the campaign to make the economy work for the 99%.

Join us. Together, we’re building a movement to fi ght for good jobs and a better future for everyone.

They're the Dirty Thirty: 30 big corporations who invest millions in lobbyists so they can avoid billions in taxes.

by Nate Jackson Your taxes should be based on how much you earn — it’s only fair. So why are there 30 big corporations who make big profits but haven’t paid their fair share for years? Could it have something to do with the millions they invest in lobbyists who push for special tax benefits?

Wells Fargo Bank is the worst corporate tax evader in the Dirty Thirty, and it’s time they paid their fair share. That’s why on Tuesday, January 31st we’re having a rally and march to the bank.

Since the big banks got bailed out in 2008, Wells Fargo has spent nearly $14 Million on a lobbying effort that has bought them an effective Federal income rate of 0%. In fact, they managed to get a $681 million Federal income tax refund on their $50 billion profit.

It’s the same story for the rest of the Dirty Thirty. These giant corporations, including General Electric, FedEx, and a slew of energy firms, have gamed the system to avoid paying their fair share. Basically, they’ve paid out millions in lobbying fees to evade billions in taxes.

It’s a good investment for them, but a disaster for us. All together they’ve sidestepped $200 billion in Federal Taxes. If these big corporations would pay their fair share, we’d have the resources we need to invest in our schools, rebuild our infrastructure, and secure a better future for our communities. Join us on Tuesday, January 31st at 12 noon to tell Wells Fargo it’s time for them to pay their fair share. We’ll rally at Westlake Park and then march to the big bank and tell them with all our voices that we’ve had enough of their paying lobbyists to win special tax benefits from our elected officials.

Unemployment down, but not out.

by Nate Jackson The latest report put out by the Department of Labor showed that 200,000 new jobs were created in the month of December. This was better than expected, but we still have over 5 million people who have been unemployed for over 27 weeks, the named “long term unemployed.” This is unacceptable and we have to keep pushing our elected officials and policy makers to make real change to kick this “recovery” into a higher gear. Here in Washington State from November of 2010 to November of 2011 we saw a gain of 59k jobs, but we are still tremendously short of the 205K jobs lost from the beginning of this Great Recession. There are still more people who have lost their jobs than gained and we are not even talking about what type of jobs people have accepted.

In fact,  the latest National job report says that the fastest growing industry for jobs was in the courier and messenger services. 42,000 jobs were created, but it is mostly seasonal employment to coincide with the winter holiday shopping season. These jobs are probably temporary and will not lead us to economic security for our families. It’s like a spare tire. It will help in the short term, but you can’t keep driving on it for long.

Too many “experts,” policy makers and media treat the economy like it is just a game of numbers and expectations. When they see any improvement they dust off their hands and think the job is done.

But we know that it’s a different story in our communities. Some of us fall into the “employed” sections of the data, working multiple part time jobs with no benefits and relying on hope to keep our families healthy, but we are still struggling to decide which bills to pay this week.

Some of us are on the verge of exhausting our unemployment benefits, but still haven’t been able to find a good job and don’t know what we’re going to do next.

And some of us may feel lucky to have jobs, but don’t get the reliable hours or living wages we need. Then we’re left to scramble to find someone to watch the kids every time there’s a chance to work an extra shift.

So while there may be a few more jobs in December than there were the month before, we know it’s still too hard out there to find good work.

That’s why we need to take action to make the creation of good jobs the number one priority of our elected officials. We cannot just let the politicians pat themselves on the back for one month of good news. We have to make sure that we are making the investments we need to drive this economy towards a more stable, steady future.

We need good jobs, not bad options.

by Nate Jackson Leonard Sims had a long career in the construction field. He put in the hours, worked overtime and did whatever job was asked of him. He specialized in laying concrete for a small contractor centered in South Seattle. He’s been part of the close knit community for most of his life.

Sims has a few contacts he gathered from his years of work and schooling who help him with jobs from time to time, but nothing solid. He’s part of the growing number of underemployed people.

He’s been out of good work for over a year.

So while he continues to look for steady work, he’s also getting involved and making a change by meeting with contractors and city officials. He’s helping push them to make fair local hiring a priority on public construction jobs in Seattle.

Ali Abokar is also getting involved with Working Washington to fight for good jobs. Abokar used to work at Sea-Tac Airport. He worked behind the scenes handling baggage. He worked a minimum wage job that had unpredictable hours that made it tough on his family.

He’s not alone. There are good jobs at Sea-Tac, but thousands of workers at our airport are stuck in jobs that treat them like baggage.

Abokar is doing something about it. Last month he joined dozens of other Working Washington supporters in DC to “Take Back the Capitol." He marched against corporate lobbyists and rallied for jobs with thousands of others from across the country. He also presented a letter to his Congressman, Adam Smith, which made the case that the publicly owned Sea-Tac Airport was not doing enough to provide good jobs and respect to the workers who make the airport work.

In the end, what workers like Sims and Abokar are asking for is simple enough: they’re just saying that people who are willing to work should be able to get good jobs that pay the bills and help them take care of their families. Isn’t that something everyone can believe in?

Fairness: a "sickening" concept?

by Nate Jackson Apparently the 1% don’t like hearing from us.

Billionaire Paychex Inc CEO Tom Golisano said, “If I hear a politician use the term ‘paying your fair share’ one more time, I’m going to vomit.”

The idea of fairness makes him sick and he’s not alone.

Big bank CEOs and other 1% elites are kicking and screaming that it’s unfair that we want them to pay their fair share, invest in our communities and treat their workers with respect. Some CEOs are talking publicly about what they really think of the 99% movement.

We’ve been pushing hard and we’ve gotten under their skin. The 1% hasn’t even thought of fairness in so long that they’ve forgotten what it means.

We know that fairness is equal opportunities, good jobs, respect in the workplace and a system that rewards the real wealth creators, the workers, like Gina Peterson and Susie Esqueda.

Peterson has been out of work for half a year. She was a healthcare worker who has been unable to find good work. She’s been looking for a good job and has every right to complain, but she chooses instead to fight for an economy that works for all of us.

Peterson was one of the activists who came with Working Washington to Washington DC and she went out of her way to help others during that week of action. When she saw a need she filled it. When something needed to be done she did it.

She even stood up to elected officials and held her ground while they tried to ply her with nice words and empty promises.

“It’s not just about me, “she said. “We need to change the system so that everyone who wants to work can find good jobs. There’s so many more people back home who are hurting just like I am.”

Susie Esqueda has just had her 47 year old daughter move back in with her because of the lack of good jobs. Her children are facing foreclosure and her own job situation is dire. She lost her job a year and a half ago. She is facing serious issues, but you would never tell if you talked to her. She has a smile on her face and goes out of her way to help others.

She is standing up and fighting instead of just lobbing complaints. She is talking to her neighbors and showing them how to get involved in this fight that we, the 99% can’t lose. She is getting things done.

“I’m worried that the Congress and the 1% are not doing anything for the working class,” she said. “We all need help and I’m going to fight for the change that we need. They need to hear from us.”

Everyone does better when everyone does better. The big bank CEOs and the 1% keep trying to sell that old line that “you’re on your own,” but we know better. Nothing can change until we all work together. It’s like the 1% don’t get that if they paid their fair share and invested in good jobs in our communities everyone would do better.

We’ve been putting on the pressure and the 1% are lashing out. They want us to just be quiet and go away. It’s not going to happen. We’ll keep telling them to invest in our communities with good jobs and respect in the workplace. They’ll keep seeing us in their offices, in the streets and in the halls of our elected officials.

We’ve got the 1% on the run and we’re not giving up..

Kemper Freeman: The Grinch Who Stole Congress

by Nate Jackson What do you call a man who snatches away the things that bring us joy? The Grinch.

Monday morning a group of 99%ers gave a wake up call to a 1% local area "Grinch" named Kemper Freeman. Freeman is a Bellevue real estate mogul who throws around money to political campaigns and politicians who directly affect our health-care, job prospects and education.

He has backed candidates and policy makers, like Rep. Reichert, who voted against extending unemployment benefits for 62,000 people across Washington State.

He’s shoved money into the pockets of national congressmen like Speaker Boehner who is hell bent on slashing Medicare and Medicaid.

Freeman also doled out cash to local area initiative huckster Tim Eyman to stop the State Legislature from closing tax loopholes for big banks and corporate jets.

He is taking from the people who need essential services and giving to those who’ve forgotten what it was like to need a helping hand. It’s like his heart is two sizes too small.

Freeman is acting like “The Grinch” so we showed up to try to get him to open his eyes.

Workers and unemployed folks gathered on the corner of 8th and Bellevue Way right under Freeman’s office. We handed out carol songbooks to passersby and started singing the 99% version of some holiday classics. Songs like “Here comes Kemper Freeman,” “The 12 Days of Working Poor,” and “All I want for Christmas is a Good Job.”

We sang and sang and took our message inside the offices of Kemper Freeman. Freeman tried to stop having to hear from us and blocked off the elevators. We took the stairs. We wanted to see Freeman and let him know that the 99% weren’t going to take his meddling in our democracy anymore.We wanted him to have another chance to “grow his heart.” Instead he shut the doors on our faces.

RJ Williams, sporting a walking stick, spoke to the crowd outside of Freeman’s office.

“We want to know how you can sleep at night,” RJ said. “You buy our democracy when we just want good jobs, health-care and good education. Shame on you.”

Since Freeman was hiding in his office we decided to go into the mall itself and spread holiday cheer. We sang our hearts out as swarms of onlookers took out their phones and cameras and some even joined in. People came up to us and asked why we were demonstrating and we told them.

Freeman and the 1% think they can buy our democracy and put policies into place that strip away our education, health-care and social services that we so desperately need. It was time for “The Grinch” to stop playing around with our futures.

The Grinch was snatching hats off our heads trying to dampen our mood, but we couldn’t be bothered. The 1% may think that they can keep us down, but they are sorely mistaken.

Everywhere you look you see people standing up. We are not going to sit back and let the 1% dictate what happens to our families anymore. People are getting involved, getting informed and getting out of the house and into the streets. We need to keep up our momentum and keep going after the people who have been holding us down in direct, peaceful actions.

We are not going to let the 1% have their way without a fight. We will keep pushing for a more fair economy where everyone who wants a job should be able to find a good job that treats them with respect.

We need companies and the 1% to invest in their workers, not hand out more bonuses to CEOs. They need to remember that if they invest in us, the workers, they will get more in return--community respect.

If they grew their hearts and invested in education, good jobs and health-care everyone would benefit in the end. Who says we can’t have a happy ending?

Kemper Freeman is "The Grinch Who Stole Congress"

Nearly one hundred jobless people, students, and others attempt to Occupy Kemper Freeman's Bellevue Office

Wearing Santa hats and singing Kemper Freeman themed Christmas carols, more than one hundred jobless people, students, and others sent a strong message at Bellevue Square Mall: We want our government back from Kemper Freeman and the other Grinches of the 1% who Stole Congress with their multimillion dollar campaign contributions.

Community members have named Kemper Freeman "the Grinch Who Stole Congress" because he has given almost $2 million in the past few years to politicians in Washington State and Washington DC who are backing severe cuts to unemployment, healthcare, education, and other programs which serve the 99%. In fact, Kemper Freeman has contributed so much to grinchy politicians that if his political contributions were a person, that person would easily be in the top 1%.

How the Grinch Cut Unemployment Benefits: Grinch Freeman gave $5,100 to Congressman Dave Reichert, who recently voted to cut unemployment insurance by 40 weeks. This would terminate benefits for more than 62,000 people across the state.

How the Grinch Cut Healthcare: Grinch Freeman invested $2,400 in Speaker of the House John Boehner, who is leading the fight in Washington DC to cut funding for Medicare, Medicaid, and other healthcare programs.

How the Grinch Cut Education: Grinch Freeman contributed more than $1 million to Tim Eyman initiatives which make it easier for the State Legislature to cut education funding than to close tax loopholes for big banks and corporate jets.

Local community members — joined by a version of Grinch Freeman in full costume — attempted to occupy Grinch Freeman's office but were blocked by Bellevue Square security and Bellevue police. Instead, they shared Grinch-themed carols and stories to try and grow this local grinch's heart a few sizes bigger — and then marched through Bellevue Square Mall to spread the word about Kemper Freeman's grinchy support of elected officials who may take away our unemployment benefits for Christmas.

How the Grinch Stole Congress!

Kemper Freeman and the other grinches of the 1% seem to have stolen Congress from the rest of us with millions in campaign contributions that back a grinchy all-cuts agenda. That's why the State Legislature has made $10 billion in cuts in the past few years. It's also why less than a week ago, the US House of Representatives voted in favor of HR 3630, a proposal which would reduce unemployment benefits for Washington workers by 40 weeks, cutting benefits entirely for 62,000 people in this state and more than 3 million across the country. Congressman Dave Reichert (R - Bellevue), who receives support from Grinch Freeman, voted in favor of this reduction in unemployment benefits.

According to the latest figures from the US Department of Labor:

• Half of all unemployed workers have been out of work for more than six months
• There is only one job opening for every 4 people looking for work
• The unemployment rate has been above 8.5 percent for more than 31 months, longer than at any time since the Great Depression.

Song Lyrics:

Here Comes Kemper Freemam (to the tune of Here Comes Santa Claus)

"Here comes Kemper Freeman, Here comes Kemper Freeman, Right down Bellevue Way, Boehner and Reichert and all their cronies are pulling on the reins. Families crying, children screaming No one sleeps tonight. Hang your hopes and say your prayers 'Cause Freeman comes tonight"

Twelve Days of Working Poor (to the tune of 12 Days of Christmas)

"On my 12th day of working poor, Freeman gave to me: 12 months of suffering cuts in unemployment benefits 10 days to vacate fewer teachers 8 grocery coupons no health insurance a cut in my hours 5 past due bills cuts to Medicaid no hope for raises poverty wages and no presents under the tree"