Moms and dads are working hard to make this a joyous holiday season and year. Every cent counts when it comes to the basics, like putting food on the table and buying winter clothes and shoes for growing kids.

Unfortunately, our budgets are possibly about to get even tighter.  Ouch!

If Congress doesn't extend the payroll tax "holiday" by the time it expires at the end of this year, most paychecks in America will shrink. [1] What tax "holiday?" This tax holiday was put in place in 2010 to stimulate the economy.  According to the New York Times, if the payroll tax holiday were extended, "the average working family would have close to $1,500 a year more to spend, according to Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader."[2] And, on the other hand, if Congress refuses to act, then middle-class families are going to get hit with a tax increase at the worst possible time. [3]

Raising taxes should start with millionaires and billionaires, and with the many giant corporations that somehow manage to evade all taxes, but not with struggling families. [4] Yet, some Grinches in Congress are standing in the way of real economic recovery for working families and for our national economy.

*Tell your member of Congress to extend the payroll tax holiday so that working families can put food on the table and also give the economy the boost it needs!

Contacting your member of Congress--and asking your friends and family to contact them too by clicking "LIKE" at the bottom of this post and sharing the link via email--is important right now.  If Congress doesn't act, here are the facts:

• The average hairdresser would see a tax increase of $530
• The average nurse would see a tax increase of $1,354
• The average marketing manager would see a tax increase of $2,214. [5]

Now isn't the time to take money out of the pockets of American families who are struggling hard to make ends meet, while millionaires, billionaires and giant corporations pay less than their share.  The reality is that shrinking the paychecks of working families would further threaten our economic recovery.  Economists agree that when working families have more money to spend, they help the economy grow.

In fact, taking money out of the pockets of American families would threaten our economic recovery.  Goldman Sachs estimates that expiration of the payroll tax cut would reduce growth by as much as two-thirds of a percentage point in early 2012. [6] Moody’s Mark Zandi adds that if Congress does not extend the payroll tax holiday and unemployment benefits for 2012, “there will be approximately one million fewer jobs by year’s end.” [7]

Income inequality is growing at an alarming rate. [8] Good tax policy can help change this.  It is time to make millionaires and billionaires who pay lower tax rates than working families [9], and big businesses who evade all taxes, contribute their fair share.  Many in Congress are proposing that this payroll tax holiday be paid for by a 3.25 percent surtax on millionaires and billionaires. [10]

Suffice to say that, now is NOT the time to increase the burden on families who are struggling to make ends meet, while millionaires, billionaires, and corporations get a free ride.  Your voice is needed now for America's families.

*Don't forget to take 20 seconds right now to let your representatives know that putting working families last won't revive the American economy. Extend the tax holiday so that working families can give the economy the boost it needs!  

Thank you for ALL you do for families in our nation!

[1] Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

[2] New York Times