May 20, 2005

Archbishop Harry Flynn Makes His Stand

In Minnesota, Archbishop Harry Flynn of the St. Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese, has come out in favor of a fair, progressive tax increase and is urging Governor Tim Pawlenty to reconsider his pledge to veto the bill.
He had this to say about the budget:
It is a moral statement … A just and equitable increase in income taxes, based upon each individual's ability to pay, will provide additional revenues to our state to better meet the needs of our brothers and sisters who are facing serious economic hardships.
He is promising a prolonged effort to address issues of economic justice in Minnesota. Obviously, religious leaders advocating for the poor is nothing new, but given the recent climate and post-November '04 discussion of "values voters," etc, Flynn's voice is a welcome addition to the debate.

It is great to hear somebody talking about a holistic approach to caring for each other, and also specifically drawing the line between taxes and services. Nobody wants to pay more taxes than they need to, but some things are worth the investment. Too many politicians go out of their way to create an artificial disconnect between the debate over taxes, on the one hand, and the debate over vital programs on the other.

I recommend reading both articles linked to above, Flynn has a lot to say. I'm going to follow this story next week.

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