Joined by leaders from the National Council of Churches of Christ; Network, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby; the Muslim Public Affairs Council; and Pax Christi USA: National Catholic Peace Movement, officials from the Interfaith Alliance have unveiled "Tax Day: How the Federal Government Spends Your Income Tax," a report produced by the National Priorities Project.

The report provides a detailed analysis of how federal income tax dollars contributed by Washington, D.C., taxpayers are allocated to different budget priorities. According to the report, 22 cents of every dollar paid by D.C. residents in federal income tax is earmarked for military spending, compared to two cents for city housing programs and half a cent for job training programs.

"The report findings illustrate the disturbing trend to spend almost 50 percent of our discretionary budget on military and defense, compared with fractions on education, nutrition programs or job training," said the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, executive director of the Interfaith Alliance. "These numbers reflect budget priorities that clearly place a higher moral value on building weapons than adequately funding programs which address the needs of the hungry, suffering and struggling in our midst.... Instead of increasing government resources for the working poor, President Bush's faith-based initiative shifts federal responsibility of social services to religious charities through a plan that breeds religious competition, invites the political abuse of religious groups, sanctions government funded religious discrimination and undermines the autonomy of religion."

To raise concerns about what it sees as flawed budget priorities and the lack of resources available to those in need, the Alliance will convene grassroots forums comprised of local religious, civic, and government leaders to discuss the impact of President Bush's faith-based proposal on the needs of communities. Findings from these forums will be shared with elected leaders and officials in the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.