How is it fair to middle class Arizonans that the wealthy and corporations pay so little in taxes? That’s the message I took to Washington, D.C. last month when I met with members of Arizona’s congressional delegation and urged them to vote in favor of a fairer tax code.

As a retired public school teacher here in the Valley, I have dedicated my life to the well-being of our communities. I am deeply concerned about the potential extension of the 2017 Republican tax law, which overwhelmingly benefited the wealthiest individuals and corporations while leaving middle-class families, like the ones I’ve spent my career serving, to shoulder an unfair burden.

Because of the 2017 tax law, many millionaires and billionaires have gotten away with paying too little in taxes on their massive earnings. Large corporations, some of which made billions in profits during the pandemic, were able to avoid paying their fair share and some even paid no federal taxes at all. This imbalance raises a fundamental question: how is this system fair to the middle class? We are the ones consistently asked to fund critical services like public education and health care. In fact, Arizona ranks dead last in education, due in large part to the lack of funding for public schools as a result of low taxes for those at the top.

When the wealthiest one percent and corporations don’t pay their fair share, it leaves the rest of us – the working families, retirees, and small business owners – to pick up the slack. As a retiree, I don’t mind contributing my fair share in taxes, but it’s frustrating that those at the top are allowed to avoid their responsibility to our communities. I want my children, my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren to have the same opportunities to achieve the American Dream that I had. This means ensuring that they have access to quality public schools, affordable health care, and a social safety net that helps lift people up when they fall on hard times.

Unfortunately, the 2017 tax law did little to help the middle class or small businesses, which are the real engines of job creation. Instead, these cuts lined the pockets of the ultra-wealthy and left vital programs underfunded. When this tax code comes up for reauthorization, Congress must not extend these cuts. Instead, we need to let them expire and focus on creating a new system that benefits everyone – not just those at the top.

A fair tax code means more funding for public education, better access to health care, and a stronger social safety net for all Americans. It’s time to demand that the wealthiest among us and the biggest corporations contribute their fair share, so we can build a better future for all Americans – not just the privileged few. That’s why our elected leaders need to vote against extending these tax cuts that keep the playing field tilted against hardworking Arizonans.

Linda Somo is the president of the Arizona Alliance of Retired Americans.