SCHWARTZMAN FOR CONGRESS

David Schwartzman
dwslichen@hotmail.com
829-9063

My priority constituency: those most hurt by the ruthless budget cuts of the last few years, DC’s children and youth, the poor, homeless, elderly, and disabled. I am urging a protest vote thereby sending a message to Eleanor Holmes Norton: when you return to Congress change course by seriously confronting our priority issues!

I believe the Priority Issue facing DC residents to be the Violations of our Political, Economic and Social Human Rights. Our Delegate to Congress should make these violations an international issue, exposing the hypocrisy of U.S. government all over the world. This attention combined with the mobilization of DC residents could provide the leverage to force the President and Congress to address this issue.

What is the “crisis” in DC?

There are two ongoing wars in the District, the war against democracy and the war of corporate interests against the poor and “middle class”.

The “misery index” for many of our residents is increasing:

• About one half of DC’s children live in poverty
• 1 in 4 DC children under 12 years old are either hungry or at risk of being hungry
• Infant mortality is still twice the national average
• AIDs and TB infection are spreading like wildfire in our community as a result of the racist drug war and cutbacks in preventative health care.
• Many District residents lack health care and must rely on understaffed emergency room treatment.

DC has the highest income inequality of any state in the nation and its growing! DC’s ratio of the top fifth to bottom fifth of average income of families with children is 28.2 to 1, compared to the U.S. ratio of 12.7 to I (New York Times, 12/17/97). We have been subject to budget cuts with ferocious impacts on our children and youth, the poor, elderly, disabled, and city workers Since 1994, over $100 million/year in hurtful budget cuts have been forced by DC government and Control Board and more cuts are included in the 1999 “consensus’ budget arrived at behind closed doors by the Control Board, City Council and Mayor, while we had a multimillion dollar surplus!

An example of misplaced priorities: The Control Board commissioned the anti-rent control Holland Knight report for $800,000 while the chore aide program for seniors and disabled, costing $500,000 was cut out the budget!

What should be our budgetary priorities?

• Number one, our children’s well being: No balancing the budget on the backs of children and the poor!
• Rollback all hurtful budget cuts affecting children, the poor, the elderly, disabled and our University, UDC
• Stimulate economic development that will provide long term for employment at livable wages for financial security of families and individuals (for example, promote investment in energy conservation, solarization)
• Stop privatization giveaways of public property and resources

How should we pay for them?

• Use projected multimillion dollar budget surpluses
• Higher taxes for the wealthy, those most able to pay! Tax relief for low and middle income residents, tax relief for small business!

We now have a regressive local/state tax structure, Local taxes are worse than “flat”. The lowest fifth and middle income families paid 9.5 to l0.5% of their income, while the richest (average $1.8 million family income) paid 6.4% in 1995, taking into account the federal offset of DC income taxes (Citizens for Tax Justice study) In 1996, those filling federal tax returns with adjusted gross incomes over $100,000 had a taxable income of $3.66 billion, those over $200,000, $2.04 billion! If those with adjusted gross incomes over $100,000 were taxed an extra 4%, $150 million a year in revenue would roll in. (Source: IRS, Statistics of Income Bulletin v. 17, No. 4, Spring 1998)

How do we get democratic self-rule and financial accountability of our government?

Resist the Junta, the antidemocratic Control Board and its instruments

Reenergize the movement for DC statehood that will guarantee democratic self government, and help win a fair and obligated federal payment, and a progressive reciprocal commuter tax

Open up our political system so that low and middle income residents are represented. Get the big money out of politics. This means campaign reform. The answer is more democracy, not less!

Mobilize for a humane budget and sustainable economic development

I am convinced that fulfilling this agenda will make our community more liveable for all our residents whatever their income or neighborhood.

Statehood Party members, remember to vote in your Primary, September 15!

Tough Love for the Rich: Make them pay their fair share of DC Taxes! Class War on the Rich, Not the Poor! Living Wage or Living Income! Don’t Balance the Budget on the Backs of the Poor! Strengthen Rent Control, don't phase it out! No Convention Center at Mt. Vernon Square! Nonviolent Resistance!