As New York State braces for proposed federal budget cuts that would have a devastating impact on health care, education and infrastructure investments across the state, more than 80 New York residents with incomes in the top 1% have sent an open letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature urging passage of an expanded and permanent millionaires’ tax. An expanded and permanent millionaires’ tax would bring in nearly $6 billion in annual revenue, or over $2 billion more than the current tax– set to expire in 2017– generates.

The Fiscal Policy Institute’s “1% Plan for New York Tax Fairness” calls for expanded top tax rates for the top 1% of New Yorkers. The plan also calls for a continuation of the lower rates enacted last year for middle-income New Yorkers. The 1% Plan is similar to the Assembly-passed plan in that it would set new rates and top brackets, and would also generate a significant amount of new revenue. 

The signers include Eileen Fisher, David A. Levine, Dal LaMagna, Lewis B. Cullman, Abigail Disney, Agnes Gund, Leo Hindery, Jr., Steven C. Rockefeller, and George Soros. All of the signers are residents with annual incomes of $650,000 or above, putting them in the top 1% of earners in New York State. Many signers are members of the Responsible Wealth project, which initiated the letter.

Read the full Press Release here.