U.S. REP. RON BARBER WILL VOTE TO EXTEND TAX CUTS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND MIDDLE-CLASS AMERICANS

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Ron Barber said he will vote today for legislation that would extend the Bush-era tax cuts to American families earning less than $250,000 annually.

Barber also said he will oppose a GOP effort to extend the tax cuts for the richest Americans, including millionaires and billionaires.

“With the economy still in recovery, we must take immediate action to extend the income tax cuts for 97 percent of small businesses and 98 percent of Americans,” Barber said today. “But I cannot and I will not go along with an extension of cuts for the richest Americans. Doing so would be fiscally irresponsible, adding nearly $1 trillion to the debt over the next decade.”

Today the House will vote on two proposals regarding the Bush-era income tax cuts, which went into effect in 2001 and 2003 and are due to expire Dec. 31. If Congress does nothing, the typical middle-class family of four would see its taxes rise by about $2,200 per year on Jan. 1.

The bill that Barber will support would extend the tax cuts for individuals with a taxable income of less than $200,000 annually and families with a taxable income of less than $250,000.

That bill also would extend tax cuts enacted in 2009 that provided over $2 billion in tax relief for Arizona’s middle class and military families, including the child tax credit and tax credits to help families pay for college.

The GOP plan that Barber opposes would not only add to the deficit to give the richest Americans a tax break, but would actually raise taxes on military and middle-class families by allowing the 2009 tax cuts to expire. For example an Air Force sergeant at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base who is married with three children would see a tax increase of more than $1,100 annually.

“Taken together, extending those tax cuts for the richest would add about $1 trillion to the debt over the next 10 years,” Barber said. “I am committed to cutting the deficit, not going further in debt just to cut taxes for the rich. We cannot move further into debt to give continuous tax breaks to the rich while raising taxes on middle-class and military families. That’s not fair and it is plain wrong.”

Barber noted that the Senate already has passed the tax cut plan for middle-class families that he supports.

“I urge my House colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me so Arizona’s families who are struggling to pay their bills will not see their taxes go up Jan. 1,” Barber said. “Time is running out and I hope those who are concerned about rebuilding our middle class and reducing the deficit will come together to find a solution and give certainty to American families, small businesses and our economy.”

NEWS RELEASE
Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012


CONTACT
Mark Kimble
Communications Director
U.S. Rep. Ron Barber
Arizona’s 8th Congressional District
(520) 881-3588 or (520) 904-5876