Politics & Government
Patch, Starbucks Aim to Avert Fiscal Cliff
The two companies have joined forces to urge Congress to "Come Together" before tax hikes and spending cuts push America over the "fiscal cliff."

On any given day, Shorewood and Washington, D.C., might seem like theyβre a million miles apart. Today is not one of those days.
As Congress and President Barack Obama attempt to hash out differences to stop America from falling over the βFiscal Cliff,β Patch and Starbucks are teaming up to urge Republicans and Democrats to βcome together.β
The two companies are working together to make sure Congress gets the message America wants a viable solution to the countryβs financial woes.
Find out what's happening in Shorewoodfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In Shorewood, Starbucks is located atΒ 4107 N. Oakland Ave.
The so-called Fiscal Cliff encompasses all of the budget cuts and tax hikes that will automatically kick in if Congress doesnβt take action before Jan. 1, 2013. Some economists say the automatic changes will push the country into another recession. The White House estimates the tax increases will cost 114 million middle class American families at least $1,600 a year each.
Find out what's happening in Shorewoodfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Patch and Starbucks say itβs time for elected officials to come together to find a solution.
βAs an organization, Patch is built on the idea of strengthening local communities and bringing democracy to life,β wrote Jon Brod, chief executive officer and co-founder of Patch. βOur network of websites delivers not only relevant, hyper-local information, but also amplifies the voices of our users. And with difficult choices facing our elected officials in the coming days and weeks, the need for citizens to speak up and be heard has never been greater.β
Brod announced a joint initiative with Starbucks stores in the Washington, D.C., area that runs through Dec. 28. During the multi-day push, Starbucks employees in the D.C.-area will write βCome Togetherβ on their customersβ cups to βcelebrate the spirit that has always bridged the differences dividing us.β
Patch is supporting the effort through advertising and editorial content. Itβs also launched patch.com/fixthedebt.
Weβd like to hear your thoughts. Are you worried about the potential tax increases? How will they impact your familyβs spending?
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.