Tax Dodging. Prison Profiteering. Hurting Investors. Harming Pensions. Job Killing.

For years, State Street Bank has managed to avoid accountability for their crimes against the 99% — but you can be a witness at their mock “trial”. Help us bring State Street to justice May 16, as their executives gather to preside over the company’s annual shareholder meeting.

WHEN:
Wednesday, May 16 @ 9:30 AM

WHERE:
Meet at Dewey Square (across from South Station)

View Dewey Square in a larger map

Produced by Metro Boston Climate Defense (MBCD), the new map details what the MBTA might look like in 30 years as a result of rising sea levels and storm surge caused by climate change. With the Financial District, Logan Airport, East Boston, Back Bay and several other neighborhoods totally under water, ferries would have to replace the Red, Green and Blue Line service riders have grown accustomed to. And that’s only if the Eastern Massachusetts economy survives flood damage on the scale of post-Katrina New Orleans.

A natural disaster this big may sound like the plotline of a Hollywood blockbuster, but the crisis will be all-too-real for Bay State families if we don’t take serious action now. Sea levels are already rising fast, and we’ve seen more and more erratic weather just in the last two to three years. All it would take is one big nor’easter to push those flood waters into the streets of Boston. We need a real, aggressive effort, both from elected officials and industry leaders, to stave off the environmental and economic catastrophe that lies ahead.

Unfortunately, some members of congress – including our own Senator Scott Brown – are acting as significant roadblocks to the kind of preventative measures we need to stave off the crisis. This group of Washington politicians continues to ignore the warnings of scientific experts, dismissing the very existence of climate change. In fact, Brown is the only member of the Massachusetts congressional delegation to take this extreme view, leaving his constituents back home to wonder whose interests he really serves.

As it turns out, Brown’s position reads almost word-for-word from the script of his donors in the oil industry – many of whom are actively working to block effective action on climate change by muddying the understanding we have of the problem. These Big Oil companies are certainly more concerned with increasing their already-record-high profit margins than the flooded T stops near Copley Square – and it appears Scott Brown is more than happy to follow their lead.

There’s one thing we can be sure of in all this: if we don’t acknowledge the serious nature of this problem and take meaningful steps to address it, these MBTA ‘Service Changes’ will be only the beginning. Before things are too far gone, it might be worth calling Scott Brown’s office at (617) 565-3170. Tell him it’s time to accept the reality of climate change – because we’re not interested in hailing that Green Line Ferry any time soon.

East Boston, 2 PM
March from Lopresti Park

Chelsea, 3:30 PM
March to City Hall

Everett, 4PM
March & Rally at Glendale Park (Keynote speaker Steve Tolman, AFL-CIO President

For more information:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/m1coalition
Twitter: @May1Coalition
Chelsea Collaborative: (617) 889-6080

Upwards of 1,500 Massachusetts taxpayers took to the streets of Boston’s Financial District Tuesday, Tax Day, to demand major corporations and the wealthiest 1% pay their fair share to fund our communities. The massive demonstration came as part of a growing, nationwide wave of discontent against big corporations, the rich, and politicians who have created an economic emergency for the 99% through rampant tax dodging.

As deadlines loomed for millions of working people, retirees and even unemployed residents across Massachusetts, dozens of neighborhood-based actions called out major corporate tax dodgers whose “Tax Day” never seems to come. Fed-up residents from Dorchester to the North Shore later converged on the Financial District, calling out the Hub’s most egregious corporate tax dodgers – General Electric, State Street, Bank of America, Fidelity, Verizon and Wells Fargo.

Demonstrators presented the infamous gang of tax dodgers with overdue bills for billions in unpaid tax subsidies, handing the invoices to masked “corporate pigs” bearing the logos of offending corporations. Advocates called for a new, fairer tax system where our hard-earned tax dollars are no longer spent on unnecessary wars and corporate welfare, but instead invested in the vital job creation, healthcare, transit and education programs that keep our communities healthy and sustainable.

More than 30 community, labor and peace groups joined together for the #99TaxDay of action – including MASSUNITING, Right to the City, City Life/Vida Urbana, Massachusetts AFL-CIO, MoveOn.org and OccupyBoston. The diverse coalition was prompted to action by a new report from the non-partisan Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy and Citizens for Tax Justice, which reveals that many Bay State corporations are amongst the worst tax dodgers in America. The tax dodging policies of these companies have drained millions from the Massachusetts economy – forcing mass layoffs, slashing vital services, and closing schools and community centers.

With numbers in the thousands and energy running high, the #99TaxDay march was an impressive Boston kick-off for the 99% Spring – a nationwide push to hold corporations and the 1% accountable for the harm they’ve done to our communities. Massachusetts residents sent a clear message Tuesday, and showed they are more than ready to amplify their voices in the coming weeks. Organizers have promised a steady ramp-up of actions to do just that, targeting tax dodging corporations and the politicians who support them. Stay tuned for opportunities to get involved!

We’re getting cheated — it’s pathetic!
While they’re making billions — it’s pathetic!
Oooh, it’s shocking! It’s pathetic!

GE pays no taxes — it’s pathetic!
Billions in refunds! It’s pathetic!
You know that ain’t fair — ain’t fair anywhere!

Let’s call them out
Before GE bleeds us all dry
Cause they will cheat you, cheat you, cheat you
It’s the General Electric slide

Help us call them out
Before GE bleeds us all dry
We’ve got to fight back, fight back, fight back
Stop they’re dodging, we can’t let them slide.

We’re all getting cheated — it’s pathetic! Boogie woogie woogie
They’re making billions — it’s pathetic! Boogie woogie woogie
But they pay no taxes — it’s pathetic! Boogie woogie woogie

Immelt makes millions — it’s pathetic! Boogie woogie woogie
While they’re screwing workers — it’s pathetic! Boogie woogie woogie
You know that ain’t fair — ain’t fair anywhere! Boogie woogie woogie

Help us call them out
Before GE bleeds us all dry
We’ve got to fight back, fight back, fight back
Stop the General Electric slide

We’re getting cheated — it’s pathetic!
While they’re making billions — it’s pathetic!
Oooh, it’s shocking! It’s pathetic!

GE pays no taxes — it’s pathetic!
Billions in refunds! It’s pathetic!
You know that ain’t fair — ain’t fair anywhere!