Issue Position: Tax Relief

Issue Position

I am a firm believer that the American people are over-taxed. They are working harder than ever for their money and taking home less of it because the federal government continues to tax them at an extremely high level.

Congress needs to act on behalf of the American people. Since I have been in Congress, we have passed to two major tax relief packages returning money to every taxpaying American while phasing-out the Marriage Penalty, eliminating the Death Tax and increasing the Child Care Tax Credit.

This is certainly a step in the right direction. However, I believe that the current income tax system is fundamentally flawed and in need of major overhaul. It is my intention to work with my colleagues in Congress to address the inequities in the current system and find a system that reduces the tax burden that the American people currently face.

Value-Added Tax (VAT)

I am opposed to the VAT. This is inherent in the final cost of the goods sold, and is hidden to the consumer. It is applied at every stage of consumption, from wholesale to retail, and passed along until it literally becomes as much an inherent and cloaked component of price as transportation or raw materials. As a result, countries that have adopted a VAT have been sorely tempted to raise the rate over time. The VAT tax has been discussed as a possible way to pay for retirement security reform, tax reform, and healthcare reform. The experience of other countries, however, should teach us that the imposition of a VAT, even in the pursuit of very worthy ends, is too often the precursor to bigger government. For these reasons, I am a proud member of the Anti-VAT caucus, as well as an original cosponsor of a resolution stating that it is the Sense of the Congress that the VAT will only result in additional hardships for America's families and job-creating small businesses.

2011 Tax Hikes

Get ready to pay higher taxes in 2011. Starting January 1, 2011 -- less than six months from now -- an unprecedented, $3.8 trillion tax increase is scheduled to kick in, affecting every American who pays income taxes. This tax hike will force hard-working Americans to pay over $200 billion in higher taxes next year alone. What are some of these tax increases? Click here.
Tax Reform

Our tax code is confusing, unfair and discourages hard work. Federal, state, and local taxes claim almost 27 percent of the average American's income. That means most Americans have probably worked the first three months of this year just to pay their taxes. We need to have a serious national discussion about reforming our tax code. There are many ideas on how we can do this. I believe all reform ideas must be included in any discussions about changing our tax structure.

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