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PRESS RELEASE FROM AMERICANS FOR TAX REFORM
Contact: John Kartch ( jkartch@atr.org or 202-785-0266)

[View Printable Adobe Acrobat File]

Media Alert:
Wednesday:  Americans for Tax Reform and ATR’s Center for Fiscal Accountability to host
Cost of Government Day Press Conference!

WASHINGTON - Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) and ATR’s new Center for Fiscal Accountability (CFA) will hold a press conference on Wednesday July 16 at 9:00 AM to mark Cost of Government Day (COGD). Every year, Americans for Tax Reform Foundation, and going forward Center for Fiscal Accountability at ATR calculates the day in the calendar year when Americans have paid their share of the federal, state and local tax and regulatory burdens. This year's COGD falls on July 16 an increase of 4 days over the revised date for 2007, when COGD fell on July 12. Since 1977, COGD has fallen later than July 16 in only four of those 32 years.

The press conference will detail the major findings of the report including:

• Federal spending as a percentage of national income will increase again in 2008 and is up 11.4 percent since 2000.
• The state and local spending burden is a significant factor in this year’s COGD falling on a later date, with an increase of almost 12 percent relative to national income in the last five years. 
• The tax and spend burden has a significant impact on migration patterns.
• Only by tackling the looming entitlement crisis and reforming these projects can a slip of COGD later into the year be avoided.

The press conference at the National Press Club in the Zenger Room at 9:00am on Wednesday, July 16. All press - broadcast, print, and Internet - are invited to report on the study's findings.

Media inquiries should be directed to John Kartch at 202-785-0266 or by e-mail at jkartch@atr.org

WHAT: ATR and CFA’s Annual Cost of Government Day Press Conference.

WHERE: National Press Club, Zenger Room, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20045

WHEN: Wednesday, July 16, 2008, 9:00am

WHO:               
Grover Norquist- President, Americans for Tax Reform
--Overview and introduction of Cost of Government Day
Peter Ferrara- Director of Entitlement and Budget Policy for the Institute for Policy Innovation
--Methodology and conclusions
Tom Schatz- President, Citizens Against Government Waste
--Earmarks and government waste
Brian Riedl- Senior Policy Analyst and Grover Hermann Fellow in Federal Budgetary Affairs, Heritage Foundation
--Federal government spending and budgeting
Larry Hart- Director of Government Relations, American Conservative Union
--Fiscal restraint
Phil Kerpen- Director of Policy, Americans for Prosperity
--Taxpayer-funded lobbying
Ryan Ellis – Executive Director, American Shareholders Association
Jim Martin- President, 60 Plus Association
--Death Tax and entitlement reform
Wayne Crews- VP for Policy and Director of Technology Studies, Competitive Enterprise Institute
--Government regulations
Brian Johnson- Executive Director, Alliance for Worker Freedom
--Labor regulations
Jonathan Williams- Director of the Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force, American Legislative Exchange Council
--Rich States, Poor States
Kelsey Zahourek – Executive Director, Property Rights Alliance
Sandra Fabry- Executive Director, Center for Fiscal Accountability
--Transparency in government spending

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Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose any and all federal and state tax increases.  For more information, or to arrange an interview with Mr. Norquist please contact John Kartch at (202)785-0266 or by email at jkartch@atr.org.