A universal basic income (negative income tax) for everyone
We call for a universal basic income (sometimes called a guaranteed income, negative income tax, citizen’s income, or citizen dividend). It would go to every adult regardless of health, employment, or marital status, in order to minimize government
bureaucracy and intrusiveness into people’s lives; the amount would be sufficient so that anyone who is unemployed can afford basic food and shelter; and local governments would supplement it where the cost of living is above the norm.
Source: 2008 Green Party Platform from 2008 Chicago Convention
Jul 13, 2008
Tax incentives to redistribute unbalanced wealth
The accumulation of individual wealth in the U.S. has reached grossly unbalanced proportions. It is clear that we cannot rely on the rich to regulate their profit-making excesses for the good of society through “trickle-down economics”.
We must take aggressive steps to restore a FAIR DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME. We support tax incentives for businesses that apply fair employee wage distributions standards, and income tax policies that restrict the accumulation of excessive individual wealth.
Source: Green Party Platform, at 2000 National Convention
Jun 25, 2000
Reform system to provide tax justice
Middle-class and poor people are paying an ever greater proportion of federal taxes, and too often local and state taxes are unfair and regressive. The tax code is a labyrinth of deductions, loopholes, exemptions and write-offs, the result of
insider- and industry-lobbying that has damaged our economy as it has served the interests of big business and financial institutions.
We call for SYSTEM-WIDE TAX REFORM that acts to simplify the tax system. Subsidies, export incentives,
tax loopholes and tax shelters that benefit large corporations now amount to hundreds of billions of dollars each year and must be cut to the bone.
We call for a tax policy that moves to eliminate loopholes and other exemptions that
favor powerful interests over TAX JUSTICE. Small business, in particular, should not be penalized by a tax system which benefits those who can “work” the legislative tax committees for breaks and subsidies.
Source: Green Party Platform, at 2000 National Convention
Jun 25, 2000
Support progressivity; no flat tax
We call on new approaches to taxation, such as ENVIRONMENTAL TAXES as a partial substitute for income taxes.
We believe that we must take a closer look at the costs and benefits of consumption and VALUE-ADDED TAX approaches.
We do not support a FLAT TAX, but agree that the host of deductions and adjustments to income, dividends and miscellaneous revenue afforded under the current system to those at the top produces cynicism on the part of most Americans toward their tax
system and government.
We would raise corporate taxes. The corporate share of taxes has fallen from 33% in the 1940s to 15% today, while the individual share has risen from 44% to 73%, according to the Alliance for Democracy.
Greens support progressivity in taxation as a matter of principle, believing that those who benefit most from the system have a responsibility to return more, their “fair share.”
Source: Green Party Platform, at 2000 National Convention
Jun 25, 2000
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