WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today voiced opposition
to passage of the first installment of President Bush’s tax-cut-to-the-rich.
The House passed an income tax rate reduction bill that favors the top
one-percent of taxpayers, with a total cost of $1.2 trillion.
Below
is Schakowsky’s statement:
“Even
before setting our budget priorities, Republicans rammed through a tax
cut that benefits the top one-percent of taxpayers. This tax bill does
not give a single dime to 12 million low-and middle-income families with
24 million children. For the price tag of this tax cut to the rich,
we can offer our seniors a prescription drug benefit under Medicare, fix
crumbling schools, and provide affordable housing.
“The
Republicans are wrong on taxes, wrong on the budget, and wrong on their
priorities. Instead of rewarding the rich, we should use surplus
dollars to make sound investments and to target tax relief to low-income
and middle-income families.
“We’ve
already seen from the scant outline of the Bush budget that his decision
to make tax cut for the rich his top priority will have real life cost
for families in Illinois and across the country. Under his proposed budget,
not only will we be forced to make real cuts in children’s health care,
environmental, community safety and housing programs, we will be unable
to make additional investments to keep our nation strong.” |