Hello,

The most important public decision is how money is spent. A nation’s budget reveals a nation’s priorities.

Yesterday was tax day. The average taxpayer in the United States paid $19,113 in federal income taxes in 2023. (Source.)

Each year at tax time, the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies produces a tax receipt that shows how the 2023 income taxes are spent.

In 2023, the average taxpayer subsidized corporate contractors, including:

• $1,748 toward Pentagon contractors. That’s more than the average monthly rent in the U.S. ($1,372). 

• $249 for contracts for Lockheed Martin, the largest Pentagon contractor. That’s more than a week’s food expenses for the average American household ($195).

See below, in the infographics, for more details on how the 2023 taxpayer money was spent, and a vivid portrayal of our politicians’ priorities. By the way, the average taxpayer in North Carolina paid $15,035 in federal income taxes in 2023. See this breakdown for how NC taxes were spent in 2023. Let’s remember: NC’s tax system makes “income inequality in the state worse, not better,” while NC’s 2023 budget locks in more tax cuts “instead of providing support to NC communities who need more to thrive.”

Please continue reading to see a listing of events, job announcements, and calls for your support. Items in red are new items, not included in last week’s newsletter.

Read on for news!

Forward Together,

Rania Masri

NCEJN, Co Director

Plan Ahead!

NCEJN’s 25th Summit (in its 26th year): October 18-20! Franklinton Center.

Calls for Your Support

• NC Conservation Network is organizing a petition asking the NC Utilities Commission to reject Duke Energy’s gas-filled Carbon Plan.  Add your name here and help North Carolina move away from dirty fossil fuel pollution As NCCN explains, “North Carolina law requires the state to approve a pathway for Duke Energy to reduce its carbon emissions. Duke has proposed its own plan – but it falls short of what’s best for North Carolina. Their plan includes tripling the amount of expensive and dirty gas in the company’s future power plans. If approved, the company’s proposal would line Duke’s pockets by putting ratepayers on the hook to pay for expensive, unnecessary gas plants that threaten our health and our climate.”

• Support Durham workers’ call to action. The May Day (May 1) action in Durham. The demonstration will be organized around 4 main demands:  

  • 1) $25/hour for city, service, and all workers!

  • 2) Affordable housing now!

  • 3) Make Duke pay their fair share to fund worker and community needs!

  • 4) Solidarity with the people of Palestine. Ceasefire now. Divest from Israel! Money for people’s needs, not for war and genocide!  Endorsement form is live!Please share with your organization and assist in circulating it, and, of course, if you agree, please endorse.

Events for Justice (new items in bold)

• April 20. Piedmont Earth Day Fair 2024. 10 am – 4pm. Winston-Salem.
• April 20. Charlotte Earth Day. 12 pm-4 pm.
• April 20 from 2 – 5 pm in Raleigh, Join community organizers for an “Anti-capitalist Earth Day Celebration” and a really really free market.
• April 20th at 5 pm. Webinar, 2nd in the 3-part series by the NC People’s Power Coalition. Palestine, Health and Safety: Exploring the connection of Palestine and North Carolina’s fight for Health Care, Police Accountability, and Reproductive Justice. Register here.
• April 22nd. 6.30 pm. Earth Day: Environmental Justice Panel. A discussion on Empire and Ecology.  At the Raleigh United Mutual Aid Hub (RUMAH). Raleigh. Featuring: Cathy Buckley, NC Alliance to Protect Our People and The Places We Live; Dr. Rania Masri, NC Environmental Justice Network; and Mary Black, Climate Organizer and Raleigh City Council Member An educational primer for the topics to be discussed will be provided. For those attending in person, stick around after the panel Q&A for some community building! Register at bit.ly/49xIo5g. Zoom link will be provided on the day of the event!
• April 23. 5.30 pm. Carbon Plan Watch Party. Durham. Here is the event link: https://fb.me/e/5unmJSoaa
• April 27. Sampson County Science Fair Lunch.  11 – 2 pm. Sampson Center Park. RSVP here.
• April 28, noon to 3 pm. Orange County Living Wage’s Chili Cook-Off fundraiser.  Carrboro Town Commons. Buy tickets or Enter the cook-off as a cook
• April 30, 5.30 pm. Durham Carbon Plan Rally at the Durham County Courthouse.
• May Day – May 1st, 5 pm, CCB Plaza, Durham, Rally and March.
• May 11 & June 1: Spidey Sens-r : A community air monitoring event in Goldsboro

If you have an event to share, or a request for support, please do email me so I may share with all our network.