Republicans are blowing a $1.5 trillion hole in the federal budget to fund massive tax cuts for the wealthy and leave Washington’s middle-class families behind.
The GOP tax plan being jammed through Congress is a bad deal for the middle class, a bad deal for Washington state, and a bad deal for America.
Gov. Jay Inslee lays out 10 reasons Congress should just say “no” and try again.
1. Middle-income Washingtonians would be forced to pay hundreds of dollars more in federal taxes. Thanks to the elimination of the state and local tax deduction (SALT), about 1 million hard-working Washingtonians would no longer be able to claim this deduction, increasing their federal taxes by hundreds of dollars each year on average. Eighty-five percent of Washingtonians who claim this deduction are middle-income.
2. Makes it more expensive to be a teacher. Under the bill passed by the House, Washington’s 64,000 teachers would lose deductions for classroom supplies. Teachers spend, on average, $500 of their own money each year on supplies. Guess who would get to keep their deduction for supply expenses? Corporations.
3. Makes it more expensive to be a senior. Washington’s 1.6 million seniors would lose their deduction for medical expenses. If you think that’s a tough enough hit on seniors, the GOP tax plan would also result in $25 billion in cuts to Medicare.
Read more on the governor's Medium page. [LINK]