ATR | John Kerry Supports Tax Hikes on 94 Million Americans

ATR | John Kerry Supports Tax Hikes on 94 Million Americans

John Kerry Supports Tax Hikes on 94 Million Americans
Candidate attacks middle class tax cuts, would offer relief to just 16% of taxpayers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Bush today signed into law broadly supported bi-partisan legislation extending President Bush’s middle class tax cuts. John Kerry has claimed in the past to back the reform, but he is now criticizing the bill and will most likely attempt to roll back the tax relief if elected President.

Kerry voted against the cuts in 2001 and 2003, but later claimed to support many of their provisions, like the expanded child credit and marriage penalty elimination, during his campaign. He has again changed his position, and is now offering a tax plan that would increase taxes on 94 million Americans while cutting taxes on only 16% of the taxpayers.

“President Bush’s tax cuts brought relief to every single American across the country,” concluded Norquist. “John Kerry wants to take that tax relief away and stick the vast majority of Americans with a big tax hike.”

John Kerry has repeatedly promised to give 98% of Americans tax relief, but he has only proposed targeted tax cuts that would affect a mere 16% of filers. Kerry economic advisor Gene Sperling concedes that Kerry has not budgeted for extending the middle-class tax relief. Kerry insists that all tax cuts must be “paid for” with other tax hikes, so his failure to budget the middle class tax cuts strongly indicates he intends to roll them back.

“John Kerry has no intention of preserving President Bush’s tax cuts for working Americans,” continued Norquist. “Kerry intends to raise taxes on 94 millions Americans to pay for his bloated new government spending programs.”

Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose all federal and state tax increases. For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Christopher Butler at (202) 785-0266 or by email at cbutler@atr.org.