Talking about taxes: Changing California's broken tax policy

State budget deficits are skyrocketing across the nation, causing a ripple effect that includes increasing cuts among programs and the elimination of vital health and social services. These shortfalls are not only impacting core public health infrastructure (medical care, clean water, safe roads) but many other social and environmental determinants of health, such as jobs, education, and housing. When examining budget deficits and cuts, it is low-income communities of color that are most impacted, with low-performing and overcrowded schools and rising food insecurity. Clearly, the lack of progressive revenues is not only a public health issue but a social justice issue that must be addressed for us to promote community wellbeing.

In California, where our current 2010-2011 budget deficit is approaching $20 billion, we have recognized this need and have undertaken a multi-pronged approach to engage the health community to change our tax system. The California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN), working with CompassPoint and the Building Movement Project, has developed a curriculum to train community members to “talk about taxes” and advocate for progressive revenues. We have also broadcast our message through mainstream and ethnic media, and are planning on advocating legislatively and at the polls.

California is not alone in this struggle. In this session, we will share our experience working on this issue and our future plans to build a cadre of trainers to spread the word across the state, and offer suggestions in replicating the program across the country.