Philadelphia Bulletin - "Sestak Challenger Vows To Oppose Tax Increases"

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Philadelphia Bulletin - "Sestak Challenger Vows To Oppose Tax Increases"

Craig Williams, the Republican challenging incumbent Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak for Pennsylvania's 7th House of Representatives seat, has promised to oppose any net tax increase if elected.

By signing the pledge, distributed to candidates by the free-market Americans for Tax Reform, Mr. Williams drew a contrast between his own fiscal policy and that of Mr. Sestak who voted earlier this month for a budget supported by the House of Representatives' Democratic leadership that would repeal $683 billion of the tax cuts President George W. Bush signed in his first term.

"When the number one issue that we're all facing is the economy, I think people need to realize that an increase in taxes is going to hit them in their pocketbooks," the Republican said. "I'm not increasing taxes and my goal is to return as much money as possible into people's pockets."

Mr. Williams and Mr. Sestak quibbled over whose policy best benefits the middle class. The Republican criticized the incumbent for supporting a budget that revives the "marriage penalty" tax and reduces the child tax credit. Mr. Sestak responded that the resolution he voted for does retain significant middle-class tax relief.

"Not only does this legislation not raise taxes," said Sestak spokesperson Alix Gerz, "it also minimizes fiscal burdens, provides immediate relief for middle-income families and supports middle-income tax relief via an extension of marriage penalty relief, extension of the 10 percent individual income tax bracket and an extension of the child tax credit, among other tax relief provisions for middle-class Americans."

Mr. Williams noted an analysis by the center-right Heritage Foundation showing that if earlier tax rates were reinstituted, the average tax increase per taxpayer would rise higher in Mr. Sestak's district - by an annual $2,796 - than in all but two other Pennsylvania congressional districts.

The former federal prosecutor and Concord Township resident's observation touches upon a broader concern for denizens of the Philadelphia suburbs: If the Bush tax cuts are repealed, residents there will end up paying more on average than those anywhere else in the state.

Taxpayers in Rep. Jim Gerlach's (R) 6th District would pay an additional average $2,810 per year, should the tax cuts expire. Residents of Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy's 8th District would pay the highest mean increase: $3,022. Both congressmen voted against repeal.

"Congressman Murphy is a [economically conservative] Blue Dog Democrat, so fiscal discipline for him is a moral issue," explained spokesman Adam Abrams. "He didn't see enough done [in the budget resolution] to guarantee the middle class tax cuts or to reign in spending."

Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D), who represents the mostly suburban 13th District voted with Mr. Sestak to repeal the tax reductions.

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