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Join our March Against Madness at FirstEnergy
Who do you think pays more taxes in Ohio, a family of four or a major corporation like First Energy? Instincts tell you First Energy pays more taxes, after all they did make $2.4 Billion in profits. If you trusted your instincts, you chose the wrong answer. An average Ohio family pays more in taxes than First Energy. In fact, First Energy effectively paid no taxes in 2009 and 2010.
Companies like first energy have extensive resources and are backed by special interest groups and the 1% of ultra rich Americans. Their wealthy connections create, maintain and actively use tax loopholes and subsidies to drive profits up while passing their costs on to average Ohioans.
Fight for a Fair Economy believes this is neither fair nor just and is taking action against First Energy in the Thursday, March 29th to March Against Madness.
You have a voice, you can talk back to these companies, to the wealthiest 1% of America who blatantly abuse their power and wealth. Companies like First Energy who shut off power to Kelly M. Kelly M. is a mother working full time as the primary care giver of a child with special needs. Kelly M. does not have the luxury of paying all of her bills, she must prioritize which bills to pay in order to ensure her child with special needs has all of his needs maintained.
While First Energy was increasing their profit margin through corporate tax dodging, they shut off power to Kelly M. and 83,106 other hard working, struggling Ohioans.
If you believe that the injustice the wealthiest 1% of Ohio is perpetrating to the middle class is unfair, then join us in the Fight for a Fair Economy on Thursday, March 29th at 2:00pm at First Energy Headquarters on 79th S. Main Street, Akron, Ohio, to let First Energy and the 1% know how you feel.
For more information and to follow the Fight for a Fair Economy’s movement find us on facebook.com/ffeohio and on twitter @ffeohio #99Ohio #ShutOffs.
We Are Ohio will Remain Active in Ohio Politics
Recently, We Are Ohio, the organization that led the fight against Ohio’s unfair Senate Bill 5, announced they will remain an advocate for middle class Ohioans.
“We Are Ohio is going to stay together and be very active in educating, informing and engaging the hundreds of thousands of Ohioans who are very upset about the persistent attack on their families, their rights, their safety, their community and their jobs,” said Dennis Willard, a spokesman for We Are Ohio.
The group will work to overturn House Bill 194, a voter suppression bill that will shorten Ohio’s early voting period, ban in-person early voting on Sundays and drop a requirement that poll workers tell voters when they are in the wrong voting location.
We Are Ohio will also focus on educating voters about another mounting attack on workers in which extreme groups are attempting to make Ohio a right-to-work state.
According to the AFL-CIO, workers in states with right to work laws have a lower quality of life than workers in other states, which includes lower wages, higher poverty and infant mortality rates, less access to health care they need and an inferior education for their children.
Ohioans Demand Corporate Tax Dodgers Pay their Fair Share
Outraged citizens gathered in cities across Ohio on Thursday to demand corporate tax dodgers pay their fair share of taxes.
In Cleveland, residents, activists and labor groups gathered outside The Illuminating Company in Brecksville to protest their opposition to the tax subsidies and incentives the energy company has received.
According to Ohio Citizen Action, FirstEnergy, parent company of the Illuminating Company, effectively paid no federal income tax in 2010. Despite recording more than $1 billion in profits, the company received more than $20 million in tax subsidies and incentives from the federal government.
“They made a billion dollars in profit and they get money from the federal government,” said Felton Hitchcock of Euclid. ”They need to hold these corporations to the same standards as the rest of us and we need to stand up until they are held to those standards.”
As corporations receive massive tax breaks and pay no taxes on large profits, critical public services that benefit everyone are being cut. If companies paid their fair share, the need to slash funding for important programs would be reduced.
Corporate tax dodger protests were also held in Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo, and Youngstown to demand AEP, Duke Energy, Toledo Edison, as well as FirstEnergy pay their fair share.
Click here to sign the petition demanding corporate tax dodgers pay their fair share.
More than 2,000 Miami Valley Workers not Paid Full Wages
The Dayton Daily News reports 120 Miami Valley companies violated labor laws by not paying full wages to more than 2,000 workers.
Over the last five years, companies failed to pay workers more than $2.3 million in wages by not paying overtime or minimum wage or by violating other federal compensation laws.
Labor department data shows low-paying jobs, such as food services and retail, had the most federal wage violations in the area.
Labor and employment-law experts say wage violations are often not reported because of lack of education about workers rights and fear of retaliation for filing complaints against an employer.
According to Brennan Grayson, an employment attorney and member of the Ohio Alliance Against Wage Theft, low-income workers, undocumented workers, and workers who are paid ‘under the table’ are extremely vulnerable to wage theft because they are extremely dependent on their paychecks and are afraid to put their incomes at risk by reporting violations.
March 1 – Day of Action to Protest Corporate Tax Dodgers
According to Ohio Citizen Action in 2010, FirstEnergy, AEP and Duke Energy paid no federal income tax. And despite each company recording more than a billion dollars in profits, all three companies received millions in tax subsidies and incentives from the federal government.
On Thursday, March 1, Ohio residents plan to stand up against these corporate tax dodgers and demand they pay their fair share.
As corporations receive massive tax breaks and effectively pay no taxes on large profits, critical public services that benefit everyone are being cut. If companies like FirstEnergy, AEP and Duke Energy paid their fair share, local, state, and federal governments could reduce the need to slash funding for important programs.
Stand up and be heard. Find an event near you and tell corporate tax dodgers to pay their fair share.
Cincinnati Duke Energy
Thursday, March 1
12:00 Noon
139 E 4th Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Cleveland – FirstEnergy
Thursday, March 1
11:00 AM
Meet at the Fight for a Fair Economy Office
Participants will carpool in vans
1771 E 30TH Street
Cleveland, OH 44114
Columbus – American Electric Power
Thursday, March 1
12:00 Noon
1 Riverside Plaza
Columbus, OH 43215
Toledo – Toledo Edison
Thursday, March 1
12:00 Noon
Toledo Edison
300 Madison Avenue
Toledo, OH 43652
Youngstown – FirstEnergy
Thursday, March 1
12:00 Noon
730 South Avenue
Youngstown, OH 44502
Cincinnati Residents Rally Against Mitt Romney During Fundraiser
More than 50 people led by the Service Employees International Union District 1199 met at the Great American Tower in Cincinnati to show their disapproval of Mitt Romney, as the former investment banker and Republican Presidential Candidate held a $2,500 a plate fundraiser in the building.
Organizers of the event feel Romney represents the wealthiest 1% of Americans and his fundraiser at the Great American Tower is further evidence that he is not concerned about the very poor.
On the campaign trail, Romney has boasted about being able to fire people, stood against labor unions, and even said he’s not concerned about the very poor.
Cincinnati residents protested Romney’s fundraiser to show they reject his message. While many Ohioans and people around the United States continue to struggle in their daily lives, Romney shows he is out of touch with ordinary people.
Mitt Romney: Not My President Day Protest
How rich is Mitt Romney? Combine the wealth of the last eight presidents then double it. Now you’re in Mitt Romney territory.
Mitt Romney, the protector of the 1%, is out of touch with ordinary Ohioans. As many of us struggle in our daily lives, Romney says he’s not concerned about the very poor. Now he wants to be president.
On Monday, February 20, Romney will be at the Great American Tower, 301 East Fourth Street in Cincinnati, meeting with wealthy donors to raise money for his presidential campaign. We plan to be there at 4:30 PM to let him know that Ohioans need a leader who will help the 99% rather than protect greedy corporate interests.
It’s no secret where Mitt Romney stands. He boasts about being able to fire people, stands against unions and is not concerned about the poor. Join us on Monday, February 20 and let Mitt Romney know we need leaders who will fight for us, not against us.
Obama Urges Congress to Extend Payroll Tax Cut for the Middle Class
In his weekly address, President Barack Obama urged Congress to pass the payroll tax cut extension to prevent a tax hike on middle class families.
“At the end of the month, taxes are set to go up on 160 millions working Americans,” said Obama. “If congress refuses to act, middle class taxes will go up. It’s that simple.”
For a family earning $50,000 a year, the tax cut amounts to about $1,000 a year or nearly $40 per paycheck.
“To a student or senior who’s trying to stretch the budget a little bit further. To a parent who’s filling up the tank and looking at rising gas prices. To them, $40 can make all the difference in the world,” said Obama.
A press release issued by the White House says, this is not the time for a self-inflicted wound on the recovery or placing an added burden on middle class families.
Obama is urging Americans to pick up the phone, send a tweet, write an email, and tell their representatives to extend the payroll tax cut before it’s too late.
Ohioans Rally Against Kasich During State of the State Address
Hundreds of Ohioans traveled to Steubenville on Tuesday to make their voices heard and protest the policies of Governor John Kasich as he delivered his State of the State address at Steubenville City School District’s Wells Academy.
Since taking office last year, the Kasich administration has attempted to bust unions, privatize public services, and create tax breaks for the wealthy, while turning his back on the 99%. Today, Ohioans made their voices heard and demanded Kasich stand up for all Ohioans, not just the wealthy.
Kasich broke nearly 100 years of tradition by moving the State of the State speech from the statehouse in Columbus to a location on the West Virginia border, nearly 150 miles from the capital.
Reverend Jackie Jackson traveled from Cincinnati to make his voice heard.
“He doesn’t seem to be for the average working man and woman in the state,” says Jackson. “I believe he’s trying to make it easier for those who have and not doing much for those who don’t have.”
As Kasich touted his successes and claimed that Ohio is turning around during his state of the state speech, Ohio Democratic Chairman, Chris Redfern says, “It doesn’t take courage to accept all of the credit. It takes courage to take some of the blame.”
Redfern says a lot of the credit for the improvements Ohio has experienced should go to President Obama and former Governor Ted Strickland.
