#TaxesAreGood for public health

It’s true that nothing’s certain except death and taxes. And thinking of either can fill a person with dread. But in the midst of a debate in Congress about reforming the nation’s tax code, some public health advocates say it’s time we speak up about the good that taxes can do.

“The idea is to start a conversation through social media about all the good things our taxes pay for or that we want our taxes to pay for, shifting the narrative to one in which people see that taxes can help us build the healthy communities we want to live in,” said APHA member Sari Bilick.

Bilick is part of a Public Health Awakened campaign urging people to use the hashtag #TaxesAreGood to spread that positive message.

If you’re in Atlanta for APHA’s 2017 Annual Meeting and Expo, you can learn more at the Public Health Awakened Resistance and Refreshments social hour on Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. at the Hudson Grille Downtown, 120 Marietta St. Or meet some people involved in the campaign at the end of the Mobilizing Public Health to Engage in Social Movements session on Tuesday. You may even run into some advocates asking people to participate in the photo campaign.

But even if you’re not with us in Atlanta, you can print your own sign about what our taxes pay for and post it and tag it on social media.