Millionaires around the world signed an open letter asking the U.
S. and other countries to raise taxes on the rich “immediately” and “permanently” to help fund the economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis.
Among the 83 signatories, who dubbed themselves “Millionaires for Humanity,” include Ben and Jerry’s ice cream co-founder Jerry Greenfield, Disney heir Abigail Disney, and renowned writer Richard Curtis.
The letter read:
“To our fellow global citizens, As Covid-19 strikes the world, millionaires like us have a critical role to play in healing our world.
No, we are not the ones caring for the sick in intensive care wards. We are not driving the ambulances that will bring the ill to hospitals. We are not restocking grocery store shelves or delivering food door to door. But we do have money, lots of it.
Money that is desperately needed now and will continue to be needed in the years ahead, as our world recovers from this crisis.
“Today, we, the undersigned millionaires, ask our governments to raise taxes on people like us. Immediately. Substantially. Permanently.”
The open letter comes as the U.S. and other countries provided direct financial aid and implement measures to help workers who have lost their jobs and businesses that were gravely affected by the coronavirus.
While businesses reopened in recent weeks allowing millions of American workers to come back to work, unemployment rate remains at 11.1% in June – higher than the peak jobless rate during the Great Recession.
A recent report from Credit Suisse states that there are 46.8 million millionaires worldwide, and own almost half of the global total wealth.
Some of the world’s wealthiest people have already donated millions to coronavirus relief efforts, which includes Billionaires Bill Gates and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey who pledged more than $1 billion collectively to fund vaccines and relief efforts.