Letter to the Editor: Fund Our Schools, Close Corporate Tax Loopholes

As reported recently, Georgia Gwinnett College is facing a budget cut of $2.7 million, a cut that could lead to more furlough days for faculty and staff, reduced library hours for students, and a hiring freeze.  At a time when Georgia Gwinnett College is growing and expanding, this proposed cut would be a huge blow to its ability to provide the kind of education that these college students deserve.

There is a relatively simple solution to this problem.  If we close the corporate tax loopholes that allow highly profitable corporations to avoid paying their fair share, we could generate the kind of revenue it would take to avert these proposed cuts.  The state of Georgia loses approximately $569 million each year because corporations frequently move the profits they’ve made in our country to off shore tax havens, like the Cayman Islands, where the corporate income tax rate is zero.  Not only is the state losing money that could be used to fund higher education and other social programs, but it also simply isn’t fair that corporations can use our infrastructure and skilled labor force without having to pay the same tax rate on their profits as small business owners do.

It’s time for Rep. Rob Woodall to demand that corporations pay their fair share so that we can solve our budget problems, fund our schools, and level the playing field for small businesses.

Jason Pfeifle
Field Organizer, Georgia Fair Share
108 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. Suite #210
Decatur, GA 30030