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| Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice |
| GHICEJ Chairman’s Comments at State Capitol in support of a State Earned Income Tax Credit January 31st, 2008 |
Good Afternoon/Good Morning:
I am the Rev. Josh Pawelek, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Society: East in
Manchester, a resident of Glastonbury, and I am the newly elected Chairman of the
Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice—a faith movement acting for
a just society. I am here today, speaking on behalf of our 32 member congregations,
speaking in alliance with other faith-based justice organizations like United Action
Connecticut, speaking in alliance with the Connecticut Catholic Conference, speaking
with the question of the Hebrew prophet ringing in my ears: “What does God require of
you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God?,” speaking with the
firm belief, speaking with the fervent belief, that passage of the Earned Income Tax
Credit in CT is one, critical step on the path to a just society, one critical step in bringing
much-needed relief to our state’s low income workers and their families.
We are grateful that so many legislators, in bipartisan fashion, have pledged their
support in passing this legislation this year. We understand and agree that with the
national economy moving into recession both national and state economic stimulus
packages are necessary. The Earned Income Tax Credit for low income people is a
logical component of such a stimulus package. However! However, I also want to stress
that we in the faith community, our allies, and certainly many of the legislators who are
here today were calling for the Earned Income Tax Credit long before their was the
threat of recession. The reality is, the recession for low income workers started long
before the sub-prime mortgage fiasco which they had nothing to do with. Low income
workers have been gouged at grocery stores, pummeled at the pumps, harassed in
housing, jostled in jobs, abandoned in their access to quality, affordable healthcare. Low
income workers have been stretched and strangled and squeezed to the limit and the
only difference now is that Wall Street feels it too. Now we call it a recession, but
recession for low income workers is a chronic, persistent feature of our economy. The
Earned Income Tax Credit will bring some much needed relief. Yes, it belongs as the
centerpiece of any economic stimulus package, but it is still long overdue.
Yesterday, a middle-aged couple came to see me. They are both temporarily out of work
due to medical issues. They manage their money well. They don’t live beyond their
means. Even so, they have no money—no cushion—to get through a crisis should one
arise. Their car broke down. The first mechanic said $1200. They found another
mechanic who said $900, so they had the car towed there. However, when the second
mechanic started doing the work he discovered further problems with the car—a new
radiator was essential. The cost now would be $1400. What could they do? Without a
car, they are stranded and won’t be able to get back to work when they are ready. They
had the mechanic fix the car. When they went to pick it up, the mechanic had only
charged them half price. “I know you need it more than me,” he said. Then they came to
me. I was able to write them a check for $300. I have a fund which my church has
created precisely for this purpose. I note that churches, synagogues and mosques are
writing these kinds of checks, when they can, more and more. And, at least for me, it’s
rarely homeless and long-term unemployed people to whom these checks are written.
It’s people with steady jobs. What do they need the money for? Diapers, baby formula,
medical co-pays, registering for courses, car repair, gasoline, groceries, computers,
Christmas gifts, school clothes, school supplies. And I know we in the faith community
will keep writing these checks as we can. I know there are those in the business
community who will keep doing what the mechanic did for my parishioners, as they are
able.
Today we are asking our state government to do something similar, but with one
difference. We are not asking for charity. We are not asking for a handout. We are
asking for justice, for a more equitable and less regressive sharing of the tax burden.
We are asking simply that poor and low income workers retain more of the money they
have already earned through their labor.
I ask us all to look around the room. Look at Connecticut. Let us proclaim Connecticut’s
character here today. Connecticut does care about poor and low-income working
families. Connecticut does care about doing justice. Connecticut does love kindness.
Connecticut does walk humbly with God who is named and understood and worshipped
in many different ways. In keeping with that character, let us, this year, finally create the
Earned Income Tax Credit in CT. Thank you and God bless you.
I am the Rev. Josh Pawelek, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Society: East in
Manchester, a resident of Glastonbury, and I am the newly elected Chairman of the
Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice—a faith movement acting for
a just society. I am here today, speaking on behalf of our 32 member congregations,
speaking in alliance with other faith-based justice organizations like United Action
Connecticut, speaking in alliance with the Connecticut Catholic Conference, speaking
with the question of the Hebrew prophet ringing in my ears: “What does God require of
you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God?,” speaking with the
firm belief, speaking with the fervent belief, that passage of the Earned Income Tax
Credit in CT is one, critical step on the path to a just society, one critical step in bringing
much-needed relief to our state’s low income workers and their families.
We are grateful that so many legislators, in bipartisan fashion, have pledged their
support in passing this legislation this year. We understand and agree that with the
national economy moving into recession both national and state economic stimulus
packages are necessary. The Earned Income Tax Credit for low income people is a
logical component of such a stimulus package. However! However, I also want to stress
that we in the faith community, our allies, and certainly many of the legislators who are
here today were calling for the Earned Income Tax Credit long before their was the
threat of recession. The reality is, the recession for low income workers started long
before the sub-prime mortgage fiasco which they had nothing to do with. Low income
workers have been gouged at grocery stores, pummeled at the pumps, harassed in
housing, jostled in jobs, abandoned in their access to quality, affordable healthcare. Low
income workers have been stretched and strangled and squeezed to the limit and the
only difference now is that Wall Street feels it too. Now we call it a recession, but
recession for low income workers is a chronic, persistent feature of our economy. The
Earned Income Tax Credit will bring some much needed relief. Yes, it belongs as the
centerpiece of any economic stimulus package, but it is still long overdue.
Yesterday, a middle-aged couple came to see me. They are both temporarily out of work
due to medical issues. They manage their money well. They don’t live beyond their
means. Even so, they have no money—no cushion—to get through a crisis should one
arise. Their car broke down. The first mechanic said $1200. They found another
mechanic who said $900, so they had the car towed there. However, when the second
mechanic started doing the work he discovered further problems with the car—a new
radiator was essential. The cost now would be $1400. What could they do? Without a
car, they are stranded and won’t be able to get back to work when they are ready. They
had the mechanic fix the car. When they went to pick it up, the mechanic had only
charged them half price. “I know you need it more than me,” he said. Then they came to
me. I was able to write them a check for $300. I have a fund which my church has
created precisely for this purpose. I note that churches, synagogues and mosques are
writing these kinds of checks, when they can, more and more. And, at least for me, it’s
rarely homeless and long-term unemployed people to whom these checks are written.
It’s people with steady jobs. What do they need the money for? Diapers, baby formula,
medical co-pays, registering for courses, car repair, gasoline, groceries, computers,
Christmas gifts, school clothes, school supplies. And I know we in the faith community
will keep writing these checks as we can. I know there are those in the business
community who will keep doing what the mechanic did for my parishioners, as they are
able.
Today we are asking our state government to do something similar, but with one
difference. We are not asking for charity. We are not asking for a handout. We are
asking for justice, for a more equitable and less regressive sharing of the tax burden.
We are asking simply that poor and low income workers retain more of the money they
have already earned through their labor.
I ask us all to look around the room. Look at Connecticut. Let us proclaim Connecticut’s
character here today. Connecticut does care about poor and low-income working
families. Connecticut does care about doing justice. Connecticut does love kindness.
Connecticut does walk humbly with God who is named and understood and worshipped
in many different ways. In keeping with that character, let us, this year, finally create the
Earned Income Tax Credit in CT. Thank you and God bless you.