Tax Breaks vs. Budget Cuts

Programs at risk Tax breaks for the wealthy $11.2 billion $11.5 billion Per-year cost of recent tax cuts for millionaires' estates Early childhood programs $8.9 billion $8.9 billion Cost of allowing mortgage interest deduction for vacation homes (est. 10-year cost) Low-income housing programs $7.6 billion $6.7 billion Supplemental nutrition for poor families (WIC) Cost of "estate planning" techniques used by wealthy to avoid taxes $4.6 billion $5.2 billion Teacher training and afterschool programs Cost of removing limit on itemized deductions for high-income taxpayers, FY 2011 $4.1 billion $4.1 billion Job training for unemployed and new workers Cost of tax breaks for offshore operations of U.S. financial companies $2.5 billion $2.5 billion Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grants to poor families Tax breaks for oil companies (write-offs for drilling and oil well costs, FY 2012) $2.5 billion $4.9 billion Cost of extending alcohol fuel tax breaks Community health centers $2.0 billion $2.3 billion Homeless Assistance Grants Tax loophole for managers of hedge funds and private equity funds (FY 2012) $420 million $312 million Legal services for the poor Cost of allowing companies to write off punitive damages (10 years) $317 million $303 million Title X Family Planning Cost of special tax breaks for the timber industry $44 billion $42 billion One-year cost of extending Bush tax cuts for top brackets (FY 2012) All programs at risk combined