Walberg Launches American Taxpayer Bill of Rights

Press Release

WALBERG LAUNCHES AMERICAN TAXPAYER BILL OF RIGHTS

Congressman Tim Walberg (R-MI), a member of the fiscally responsible Republican Study Committee (RSC), today launched the American Taxpayer Bill of Rights at a press conference at the Capitol. The event marked the beginning of a grassroots effort to ensure that leaders in Washington, D.C. never forget that tax money belongs to the taxpayers, not the government.

Walberg's remarks follow:

"Good morning, I'm Tim Walberg from Michigan's 7th District, and I am humbled to be stand here with these principled and talented men and women and announce the launch of the Republican Study Committee's American Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

"As I mentioned, I'm from Michigan, and in case you haven't heard, things aren't the best in the Great Lakes state at the moment.

"A recent analysis by the Mackinac Center compared Michigan's per capita income to the national average and revealed the state reached its lowest level in 75 years.

"At the end of 2006 Michigan had the second highest unemployment rate in the nation and since January of 2001, Michigan has lost over 205,000 jobs.

"Certainly many of Michigan's problems have been caused by state policies, but the men and women of my district continue to stress to me they want Congress to put our fiscal house in order on a federal level.

"Right now, taxpayers in south-central Michigan are making tough choices every day to ensure their family budgets are balanced. They do it by cutting spending and having fiscal discipline.

"It's time we did the same on a federal level. The core principles we have introduced today will go a long way to restoring the trust of the American people.

"We can build a better, brighter future for our country, and we can do it by empowering American men and women with the rights they deserve as taxpayers."

The RSC's American Taxpayer Bill of Rights (see above right) establishes four basic rights to ensure that the taxpayers across America receive a more efficient and accountable government.

1. Taxpayers have a right to have a federal government that does not grow beyond their ability to pay for it.
2. Taxpayers have a right to receive back each dollar that they entrust to the government for their retirement.
3. Taxpayers have a right to expect the government to balance the budget without having their taxes raised.
4. Taxpayers have a right to a simple, fair tax code that they can understand.

Source