Robert on the Taxes

Washington doesn’t have a revenue problem – it has a spending problem. Unfortunately, many in Congress don’t share this viewpoint, and have recently passed legislation that calls for the largest tax increase in American history. There is no reason to punish hard work and success! There is no reason to raise taxes. Furthermore, success should not be punished. As long as weighty regulations, an onerous government and outrageous taxes don’t stand in the way, the great people of America can make this country and economy work. Sadly, our state has followed the same route under the somewhat shaky leadership of Governor Bill Ritter, and the Democratic majority.

Some believe we can borrow, spend, and print our way out of this crisis; I believe this is creating a greater crisis. The consequences of government spending for bailouts, budget increases, swollen entitlements and "stimulus" spending will be unsustainable debt that will act as a dead weight on our economy. The only way that government can find to dig out of this type of debt is to increase taxes even more on hard-working families that are already bearing the brunt of our national and state debt. This is what the current administration of our state is doing under the name of fees! The proper way to address the issue is to cut taxes to our businesses and constituents, cut spending and be as fiscally responsible as we would be with our own checkbooks.

Today’s tax code is complicated and overbearing. We need to maintain the marginal tax rate on individuals and small businesses that create jobs. We need to give incentives to businesses to bring them into our district and encourage them to stay so that the members of our district can have higher paying jobs closer to home and enjoy the success we have been working so hard for.

Welfare recipients who abuse the system are not charged for working hard, they are rewarded for not working. Welfare was meant to be a “hand-up”, not a “hand-out”, yet the hardest working members of our district are taxed the most. It’s time to make overtime tax-free. Why should you pay more for working longer and harder? The government should stop punishing hard work. Once you have put in 40 hours a week, the government should allow you to keep your overtime pay. It’s time to give a piece of the American Dream back to those who earn it everyday. I have a plan to put the labor we are already paying for to work in transitional jobs that will help those who are receiving government assistance to find viable employment.