RELEASE: GOTTHEIMER, BEATTY, SUOZZI, SHERRILL JOIN TEACHERS & FIREFIGHTERS TO CALL FOR SALT CAP RELIEF

Statement

Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Joyce Beatty (OH-3), Tom Suozzi (NY-3), and Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), joined with President of the American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten and General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters Edward Kelly to call for restoration of the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction in the final reconciliation package -- to cut taxes for teachers, firefighters, first responders, and middle-class families.

Last month, the House passed critical legislation to restore the SALT deduction, and the bill now sits with the Senate.

"We are here today to fight for tax cuts for the hard-working families we represent, like the firefighters, teachers, and first responders who support communities across the country and in Northern New Jersey. By reinstating the State and Local Tax deduction, we will be putting money right back into the pockets of hard-working Jersey families and families around the country," said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), SALT Caucus Co-Chair. "Now, I am again asking our Senate colleagues to keep moving forward, to include restoring SALT as part of their legislation."

"In 2017, when Republicans were trying and failing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, they also silently raised taxes for hardworking middle class families," said Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-3), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). "By imposing a $10,000 SALT cap, small-minded politicians kneecapped middle income families in the places where they were already struggling. It's time to correct their mistake and reinstate the SALT deduction."

"New York State has one of the highest levels of union membership in the United States. The SALT cap caused union families to see a tax increase," said Congressman Tom Suozzi (NY-3), SALT Caucus Co-Chair. "More Importantly, the cap has accelerated a race to the bottom where wealthy taxpayers flee our state for lower tax jurisdictions that not only have low union membership, but are openly hostile to unions. We must address this and ensure the Senate passed version of the Build Back Better Agenda includes a SALT fix that we in the House can support."

"It's wonderful to be here with such a great group of colleagues and friends to talk about this critical deduction," said Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), SALT Caucus Vice Chair. "When we're standing here today and we see our teachers here, when we see our firefighters here, we're talking about the backbone of the organizations that got us through COVID. These are people that we really couldn't have made it through the darkest days of the pandemic without. And to see that they're getting kneecapped by the SALT cap is really devastating. Not only are our middle class families paying the price, but our communities are paying the price -- and they're paying for it with the services we all rely on. That's why we are calling on the Senate to ensure the SALT deduction is addressed in the final version of this bill."