Metamorphosis – July 2014

Bellingham Friends worship at 10 a.m., Sundays at Explorations Academy
1701 Ellis Street (Creekside Building) Bellingham, WA 98225
P.O. Box 30144, Bellingham 98228
(bellinghamfriends.org)

Advices and Queries
Little Red Book #16: Do you welcome the diversity of culture, language and expressions of faith in our yearly meeting and in the world community of Friends? Seek to increase your understanding and to gain from this rich heritage and wide range of spiritual insights. Uphold your own and other yearly meetings in your prayers.

Calendar:
July 6: Potluck
July 13: Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
July 17: Spirit Group meets at the home of Mary Ann Percy, 7 pm.
July 20: ”Inequality for All” Documentary (90 minutes)
July 21: “Go Granny D!” will be presented by Bellingham Friends (Social and Environmental Concerns Committee) together with the League of Women Voters, Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, Whatcom Peace and Justice Center, and Move to Amend. The presentation begins at 7 pm at the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship (1207 Ellsworth St.) “You’re never too old to raise a little hell,” proclaimed 90-year-old crusader Granny D in her cross-country trek for election reform. The show recreates this adventure with a nationally touring Off-Broadway actress and her musical accompanist. Admission is free (donation appreciated, suggested $10) with the benefits going to the League of Women Voters and Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship’s Reclaim Democracy Ministry.
July 27: Peace Through Pieces presentation for Patty Federighi, talking about her quilting ministry in Burundi
August 3: Potluck, Whatcom Falls Park, large shelter. In addition to food, Friends are encouraged to bring their own eating utensils, folding chairs, and tablecloths. We have the space rented from 9:30 to 1:30, to leave plenty of time for setup and cleanup. Meeting for worship will be from 10-11 a.m. We plan to invite Friends we have not seen for a while to join us in a “reunion.” We will likely need child care for this event. There will be a welcome celebration for the memberships of Chip and Kris Gustavson.
August 10: Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
August 12: Book group meets at 7pm at Joanne Cowan & Larry Thompson’s
August 17: Worship sharing on listening to theological language from the heart (presented by Virginia Herrick)
August 24: Mark Hersh – Reporting on his experiences as FGC sponsored attender. Don Goldstein will also be available to share his experience.
August 31: Friendly Lunches

The Concern of the Month is Carbon WA:
Why Washington State Needs Environmental Tax Reform
Environmental tax reform will improve Washington’s economy and reduce Washington’s carbon pollution. It is a win/win for those of us who want to help spur economic growth and improve air quality by reducing pollution.
Environmental tax reform would:
• Reduce the state sales tax by a full percentage point
• Fund the Working Families Sales Tax Rebate to help working families
• Eliminate the Business and Occupation (B&O) tax for manufacturers
• Improve air quality and reduce airborne toxins
• Help slow ocean acidity and sea level rise
• Reduce the encroachment of infectious diseases
• Increase the Business and Occupation (B&O) tax credit for small businesses
• Pay for these tax reductions with a carbon tax of $25 per ton of CO2
Our Proposal
Here are the four pillars of our default policy proposal, but note that these are subject to change as we move forward:
• Reduce the state sales tax by one full percentage point.
• Fund the Working Families Rebate to provide up to $1000 a year for 400,000 low-income working households.
• Eliminate the B&O business tax for manufacturers and triple the small business B&O tax credit.
• Institute a carbon tax of $25 per metric ton CO2 on fossil fuels consumed in the state of Washington.
Here is the draft legislation (emphasis on draft) and here are some details:
• This tax swap would take place over two years, with the sales tax reduction divided in two (a half-percentage-point reduction in each year) and the carbon tax phasing in at $15 per ton in the first year and an additional $10 per ton in the second year. The B&O tax reductions would appear in full in the first year.
• The value of the tax reductions will grow at approximately the rate of nominal GDP, so after the 2-year phase-in the carbon tax rate will also grow at something like the rate of nominal GDP, plus, perhaps, 1% to account for expected reductions in emissions. Even with a growth rate of 5% per year, it would be 2020 before the carbon tax rate reached the $30 per ton level that BC’s carbon tax reached in 2012.
• The carbon tax will cover the carbon content of imported electricity (through Fuel Mix Disclosure reports), but otherwise it will focus only on fossil fuels consumed in the state of Washington.
• Possible exemptions or rebates for dyed diesel (e.g., for agricultural use) for sequestered CO2, etc.
• The Working Families Rebate, which was created in 2008 but never funded, is modeled after similar programs that exist in 22 other states. Like most of these programs, the Working Families Rebate is a bump-up of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit; the 25% bump-up for Washington State comes in the form of a sales tax rebate.
The total value of this tax swap is about $1.7 billion annually:
• A one-percentage-point reduction in the state sales tax will save taxpayers about $1.2 billion annually; funding the Working Families rebate at a 25% level will provide tax rebate of about $200m annually; eliminating the B&O tax for manufacturing will save taxpayers about $200m annually; tripling the small business B&O tax credit will provide tax credits of about $100m annually. This all adds up to $1.7 billion in annual taxpayer benefits.
• CO2 emissions from fossil fuels total about 83m metric tons per year, so with coverage of 90% of those emissions and a expected reduction of 10% as a result of the carbon tax, you get $1.7 billion in carbon tax revenue annually.
• For context, $1.7 billion is about 10% of the tax revenue generated by the state of Washington annually.
Our goal is to bring environmental tax reform to Washington State, but we can’t do it without your help. Please join us!

Peace Through Pieces:
THARS School of Quilt Making
Patty Federighi, from North Seattle Friends Church, will present an inspirational and engaging program on Sunday, July 27 during second hour, about a ministry that is deeply involved with THARS (Trauma Healing And Reconciliation Services) in Burundi and their support groups. “Peace Through Pieces” offers quilt making as one means of trauma healing for the THARS women’s support groups. These groups comprise women who are victims of torture or sexual violence in the recent and continuing bloody conflict in central Africa.
Following his own powerful experience of healing through forgiveness, David Niyonzima of Burundi recognized that the way forward for his war-torn nation was through the path of personal healing. Through his work at Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services—THARS (see www.THARS.org) —David works to bring about the healing of his country through forgiveness of past hurts and the establishment of trust with the hope of living at peace in the future.

Working with THARS, Peace Through Pieces offers quilt making as one means of trauma healing for the THARS women’s support groups. These groups comprise women who are victims of torture or sexual violence in the recent and continuing bloody conflict in central Africa. Peace Through Pieces provides training in quilt making by conducting week-long workshops organized through Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services of Burundi.

Each group to be trained sends two representatives chosen by its members. The representatives come to one location. We provide transportation, and accommodations for the trainees. Sewing machines, fabrics and supplies are provided by Peace Through Pieces as well as trained quilting teachers. The week-long intensive training covers the making of a quilt from start to finish. By the end of the week, the participants are certified to teach introductory quilt making. The support groups are given a text with step-by-step instructions on general quilt making as well as directions for making eight different quilt patterns. The trained representatives then are able to teach quilt making to their fellow support group members.

For each support group trained, one sewing machine and enough supplies and materials to make quilts for a year are given by Peace Through Pieces to THARS to continue the work of quilting as healing art. So far, Peace Through Pieces has conducted two week-long quilting training workshops. The workshops have trained a total of 32 quilting teachers who have been able to take their new found knowledge and skills back to their support groups and teach quilt making for the purpose of trauma healing.

THARS has used these quilts in a variety of ways. They have sold some in an effort to continue the work of quilting as trauma healing. And they have given some as gifts to women who are ill or greatly traumatized. The quilts are a token of God’s love and an aid to their healing.

Hospitality: Bringing snack? You may make this a contribution to Meeting or, if you would like to be reimbursed, please write your name and “please reimburse” on your receipt/s and put it in the Donations box. Thank you!

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