Tilly Gitchuway, a Minneapolis Public Schools food service worker and a member of SEIU Local 284, has a solution for the $5 billion budget deficit in Minnesota: make the richest two percent of Minnesotans pay their fair share.
Tilly joined more than 1,000 others at the People's Rally for a Fair Minnesota at the state Capitol on Saturday, calling for legislators to implement Governor Mark Dayton's plan for tax fairness. By paying their fair share, the richest two percent of Minnesotans, CEO's, and corporations can stop devastating cuts to healthcare, education, and bring good jobs to the state.
"I am here fighting for an economy that works for my children, grandchildren, friends and coworkers," Tilly told the crowd. "I am here to let corporations, banks and insurance companies know that they need to give back some of the money they got from our hard work. Minnesotans deserve good schools and good jobs."
Tilly has worked in Minneapolis Public Schools food service for fifteen years. Her work day starts at 5:30 a.m. At home, she's raised four children on her own. Tilly worries about her family, because she can no longer afford health insurance.
"I used to have health insurance through the District but, because of rising premiums and budget cuts, I can no longer afford the insurance offered by the School District. Some state programs won't offer insurance to my coworkers and me because - no matter the cost - our employer offers insurance.
"But my question is: If we pay out half our checks for insurance, how do we pay rent, buy gas, or just afford day-to-day life?"
Tilly wants CEO's, like Jon Campbell of Wells Fargo, to pay their fair share to keep healthcare affordable in Minnesota.
"I know there's enough money in Minnesota to provide good jobs with decent healthcare coverage to all people who work hard. I recently found out the CEO of Wells Fargo Bank made $18 million last year. Wells Fargo made $12 billion in profits the last two years. We bailed them out, they made billions, then they laid off more than three hundred workers and continue to foreclose on our homes."
Watch more of Tilly at the the People's Rally for a Fair Minnesota on YouTube here.
To learn more about Minnesotans for a Fair Economy, visit www.mnfaireconomy.org.
