To: Ben Affleck
Our Children Before Our Movie Stars
Dear Mr. Affleck:
We are appealing to you because of your deep ties to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and your reputation as an articulate supporter of progressive causes.
As a parent, you understand the vital importance of providing a quality education for your children at an early age. The social and economic benefits of early childhood education have been touted by conservative and progressive pundits as well as policy analysts for decades. In addition, you and your wife both work – as many of our residents do – and finding safe, quality childcare is an economic necessity.
Help us make a difference in the lives of thousands of children – and their parents. Help end – or cap the film tax credit now. Tell the Speaker and the Senate President that you stand with Massachusetts’ children and you want them to fully fund low income child care instead of giving away millions for film production.
Why is this important?
Today, more than 30,000 low income children, age birth to five, sit on a waitlist for childcare in Massachusetts. These children are deprived of the very pre-school preparation that is instrumental to lifting them out of poverty. And their parents struggle to make alternative arrangements so that they can work and put food on the table. Recently the Massachusetts legislature slashed more than $17 million from this program making the growth of the waitlist all but a certainty.
At the same time, millionaires are benefiting from an overly generous film tax credit that in 2011 cost the State of Massachusetts more than $44 million while generating only $7 million in revenue and virtually no permanent jobs.