The Rich v. The Rest of Us

Today, we joined with our partners at New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness and Strong Economy for All Coalition to release a new report: How Many? A Numbers Guide for Lame-Duck Fence-Sitting Anti-Fair-Share Millionaires-Over-Middle-Class Members of Congress. 

Here’s some of the key facts:

• Representative Chris Gibson, for example:  99% of his constituents are not wealthy.  Only about 1% would pay higher taxes if Clinton-era tax rates were restored.  But about 20% of his constituents would face cuts if plans to slash Social Security and Medicare benefits were implemented.

• For Rep. Michael Grimm, the figures are similar:  only 1.3% of Staten Island taxpayers and 1.1% of Brooklyn taxpayers have income over $250,000 per year.  But 17% of Staten Islanders receive Social Security benefits and about 15% rely on Medicare, which have been targeted for cuts by the GOP.

• In most areas of Rep. Tom Reed’s district, less than 1% of taxpayers have income over $250,000 per year.  But in the same areas about a quarter of his constituents rely on Social Security and 20% need Medicare benefits.

• For lame duck Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, the figures are similar: a few hundred or a few thousand households in most counties – about 1% of taxpayers – have income over $250,000 per year.  But tens of thousands of her constituents – from 17-24% rely on Social Security and Medicare.

• Rep. Richard Hanna must know that 99% of his constituents are not wealthy – in fact, in Herkimer County only 81 people, about 0.3% have income over $250,000, and in the rest of his district it’s 1% or less.   But tens of thousands rely on Social Security and Medicare, including up to a quarter of Chenango County residents.

• Lame-duck Rep. Nan Hayworth represents some parts of Westchester County, where only 93% of residents are not wealthy.  But in many areas of her former district, only 2 or 3% of taxpayers would pay higher rates under the Obama plan.  But about 15% of residents in many areas face cuts to Social Security and Medicare that Hayworth’s Tea Party colleagues have advocated.