A large group of nurses and other demonstrators is marching through downtown San Francisco this morning to call for a federal transaction tax they say would bring in billions of dollars in revenue.
About 150 people gathered in front of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco at 101 Market St. at 11 a.m. for a march to Wells Fargo headquarters organized in part by the California Nurses Association.
The nurses’ association has been campaigning since early spring for the tax, which would be imposed on bond, stock, derivative trades and other financial transactions.
The march is timed to coincide with the G20 summit in France and is in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement.
The group said such a tax could generate as much as $350 billion in revenue annually.
The protesters started marching toward Wells Fargo headquarters on California Street at 11:20 a.m. Police have blocked off one side of California Street.
Liz Jacobs, a registered nurse and a spokeswoman for the nurses’ association, said the nurses have been organizing events and demonstrating since the spring because, “As nurses, we don’t like to sit around; we take action.”
Erin Carrera said she has worked as a nurse for 20 years and came out this morning to advocate for her patients because she, like other nurses, has witnessed a deterioration in her patients’ health in recent years.
She said she has seen people with jobs and health insurance put off having a tumor removed for financial reasons.
“We, more than anyone, can see the effects the economy is having on our community,” Carrera said.
The Chinese Progressive Association and several other groups are participating in today’s march.
Patricia Decker, Bay City News
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