Craig Williams Signs No New Tax Pledge, Vows to Fight to Extend Tax Cuts

Press Release

Craig Williams, the Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania's Seventh District, announced today that he signed the Americans for Tax Reform "Taxpayer Protection Pledge, vowing to oppose tax increases and fight for fiscal discipline in Congress.

"The federal budget is full of waste and pork barrel spending that drive up taxes on American workers and seniors," said Craig Williams, a former federal prosecutor, Marine combat veteran, and former active duty Deputy Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "One of my main priorities in Congress will be to return fiscal discipline to our nation's capital and to fight hard to keep the hard-earned money of my neighbors in their own pockets."

Williams said that the tax and spend record of his opponent, Congressman Joe Sestak, shows how out of touch he is with voters in the Seventh Congressional District. Williams pointed to Sestak's vote last week on the federal budget as a prime example of how residents have lost their voice in Congress. The budget, which was approved by the House of Representatives with Sestak's support, increases federal government spending through a $683 billion tax increase that includes reinstituting the marriage penalty tax, slashing the per child tax credit, and increasing income tax rates. During debate on the bill, Sestak also voted against a moratorium on Congressional earmarks. (Source: Roll Call Vote 140).

"Failure to extend these tax cuts will result in the single largest tax increase in the history of the country," said Williams. "The tax increases Joe Sestak approved in this budget are projected to increase taxes by an average of $2,796 per taxpayer in the Seventh Congressional District. Married couples will see the marriage tax penalty return, families will see their per child tax deduction reduced and low and middle income families will see their income tax rates increase. I will stand up and fight for lower taxes, while Joe Sestak has made it clear that his priority is increased federal spending."

"The sad thing is that Joe Sestak really believes that funding wasteful federal programs is more important than helping our community through an economic crisis," said Williams. "If he would take the time to study the issue, he would see that this vote to increase taxes was another crushing blow to the citizens of the 7th District who are facing ever increasing gasoline prices, home heating bills and grocery bills"

Analysis of the Democrat budget resolution by The Heritage Foundation, a Washington, DC based public policy institute, shows that the tax increases that would be imposed on residents of the 7th Congressional District are the third highest of all Pennsylvania Congressional Districts. In addition to the $2,796 per taxpayer increase, the budget resolution is also projected to result in the loss of 2,216 jobs in the Seventh District, a per capita personal income loss of $1,662, and a $303 million loss to the local economy.

(Source: http://www.heritage.org/Research/Budget/images/wm1844_table_10-OR-SD.gif).

Williams said that with the support of voters, he will seek to permanently extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts and will oppose all new tax increases.

The Taxpayer Protection Pledge signed by Williams has also been signed by 194 Members of Congress and 41 U.S. Senators. As a signer of the pledge, Williams will oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses; and oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates. Not surprisingly, Joe Sestak is not one of the signatories. A copy of the pledge and list of signers is available from the Americans for Tax Reform website at www.atr.org.

Craig Williams is the endorsed Republican candidate for the office of U.S. Representative for the 7th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, comprising of most of Delaware County and parts of Montgomery and Chester Counties. Williams is a former federal prosecutor, Marine combat veteran, and former active duty Deputy Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He lives in Concord Township, Delaware County, with his wife Jennifer, daughter and two step-children. The 7th District is his home - where he lives, where his kids go to school, where he pays taxes, where he attends church, and where he intends to spend the rest of his life.

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