Consider writing a letter to your local newspaper

Hello and happy summer! As the season winds down and families and teachers get ready for kids to return to school, we’re thinking about the boost they’ll get soon, thanks to new investments from the Education Legacy Trust. 

During the last legislative session, a majority of lawmakers took the bold and necessary step of balancing our upside-down tax code by passing a tax on extraordinary capital gains. While our tax code is still far from fair, we’re finally starting to make the wealthy to pay their share. 

The capital gains tax will add an estimated $500 million a year to the Education Legacy Trust, making child care more accessible and affordable, enrolling more children in early learning programs, funding K-12 education, and providing more opportunities for students in community colleges and universities. Less than 1% of the state’s wealthiest residents will pay this tax, but every community in Washington will benefit.

Will you help us share this good news? We have to thank legislators for their hard work and commitment and ask them to keep working to make the tax code more equitable. 

We’re asking friends and partners to spread the word. Consider writing a letter to your local newspaper about our upside-down tax code and how the capital gains tax will start to fix it. 

If you need inspiration, here’s an excerpt from a letter that SEIU 925 leader Kathy Yasi recently submitted to the Seattle Times: 

In D37 we elected Sen. Saldana, Rep. Santos and Rep. Harris-Tally to lead us in finding ways to make sure everyone pays their fair share in our state.  I want to thank each of them for their hard work and dedication to find solutions to our unfair tax system.  And still, we have more work to do.

Thank you, Kathy, for taking the lead! And thanks in advance for your efforts to do the same. We appreciate you helping us share ways that a fairer tax code will benefit you and your neighbors — and to counter those who like the system just the way it is. Together, we’re making progress!

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Letter writing talking points

Capital Gains Letter to the Editor Templates

Introduction: Say who you are and why you’re writing. 

For example:

“I’m a mom in Edmonds and I’m excited about more options for child care that are coming because this year legislators passed a capital gains tax on the super rich.”

OR

“As a local business owner here in Spokane, the new capital gains tax passed by state legislators this year means my employees will have more options for child care and parents will see more investments in education.”

Body: Talk about the capital gains tax and why it’s important. 

For example:

“Childcare, preschool, and other education are funded by a new tax on capital gains, profits of more than $250,000 from the sale of stocks and bonds. Less than 1% of Washingtonians will pay this tax, but everyone will benefit.”

OR 

“The capital gains tax is a good step to making sure everyone is paying their share in taxes and supporting the services — like early learning and education — that we all benefit from.”

OR 

“We can make sure that every community has what they need to thrive when we insist that every person pays their share in taxes.” 

Closing: Thanks legislators for their vote or ask legislators to continue fixing our upside-down tax code

For example:

“But those with the most are still not paying their share in taxes. Our tax code is the most upside-down in the country, which means those with the least income are paying the highest share of their earnings in state and local taxes. We have to make this more fair. Our elected leaders should find more ways to make sure everyone pays their share.” 

OR 

“I want to thank (legislator name) for having the courage to vote for the capital gains tax. Our community needs investments like (example) that the tax will fund. I also appreciate your recognition that the tax code still isn’t fair and I encourage you to keep working on solutions like a wealth tax and a more equitable estate tax. Thank you!” 

Sign: Don’t forget to sign your name. Some papers also require the city where you live or your address. 

Important Notes

• Most publications set a limit of 200 words for letters to the editor so please keep your submission under that. 
• Find your local paper and information on how to contact them on our handy spreadsheet. 

Sample Letter

Dear editor, 

I’m writing to thank our state legislators, (name) and (name), who voted for a capital gains tax that requires the wealthy few to pay their share and starts to balance our upside-down tax code and.

Washington is dead last when it comes to tax fairness, but that changed this week when the capital gains tax went into effect. 

For too long, we’ve asked those who earn the least to pay the greatest share of their income in state and local taxes. We’ve asked them to foot most of the bill for schools, health care, transportation, and other services that benefit all of us. 

A capital gains tax will make sure that those with the most pay their share. It will fund child care, preschool, and K-12 education. All of us will benefit, especially parents who need accessible and affordable early learning and employers who need a reliable workforce. 

Lawmakers should keep working to make our tax code more fair. They must make sure everyone pays their share so we can all get the services we need. They should look for other ways, like a wealth tax, to ask those who have done well in Washington to do right by Washington. 

Sincerely,

(Name) 

Sample letter

To the editor:

This year, we came together to tell legislators it was time to address our upside-down tax code and ask the wealthiest Washingtonians to pay their share. I applaud state legislators (name) and (name) for their vote for the capital gains tax. 

Washington is dead last when it comes to tax fairness, but that changed this week when the capital gains tax went into effect. 

For too long, we’ve asked those who earn the least to pay the greatest share of their income in state and local taxes. We’ve asked them to foot most of the bill for schools, health care, transportation, and other services that benefit all of us. 

We’ve been told there’s not enough in the state budget to fund everything we need for our communities to be healthy and prosperous. But that’s not true. There are plenty of resources in our state. We must ask those who have done well in Washington to do right by Washington. 

I/my organization is going to continue asking lawmakers to make our tax code more fair. I hope you’ll join me/us. When everyone pays their share, we can all get the services we need, including (name your organization’s service or issue).

Sincerely,

(Name)