Right now Republican leaders in Congress are debating a package that would provide $4.5 trillion in tax cuts to large corporations and billionaires like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg – and they plan to pay for it by cutting essential tools families and businesses need to thrive like health care, public education, nutrition assistance, and child care. This is not okay. 70% of the Republicans’ tax plan benefits go to the richest 5%, while costs will go up for hardworking families, who will feel the impact of budget cuts and tariff hikes the most. This will only raise costs overall, increase grocery bills, and hurt our economy.

Our leaders should make sure the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share in taxes in order to ensure everyone can go to work, raise kids, and contribute to our communities. This means advancing a permanent Child Tax Credit, as well as child care, health care, nutrition assistance, care for the aging and people with disabilities, and paid family and medical leave. Our tax contributions aren’t just expenses–they’re investments in the systems that allow all of us to thrive.

An overwhelming majority of Americans oppose cuts to critical programs, including Medicaid, Social Security, Medicare, food assistance, and K-12 education. That opposition extends across party lines, with over 60% of Trump voters opposing cuts to all those programs.

MARY O’NEILL,

Presque Isle