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PRESS RELEASE FROM AMERICANS FOR TAX REFORM
Contact: John Kartch ( jkartch@atr.org or 202-785-0266)

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10/7/05

Spratt Joins Pelosi in Quest for Higher Taxes
In the wake of natural disaster, Rep. Spratt (D-S.C.) calls
for increasing tax burden on South Carolinians

WASHINGTON—Today Americans for Tax Reform denounced Rep. John Spratt, Democrat from South Carolina’s 5th district, for his betrayal of South Carolina's taxpayers. Spratt has signed on to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) latest attempt to send more South Carolina money to Washington, this time under the guise of "paying" for federal aid to hurricane victims which has already been appropriated.

"Nancy Pelosi was for tax increases before the hurricanes and during the hurricanes. It's no surprise that she's for them again now. But Rep. Spratt has sold himself as a different kind of Democrat. Now that he's signed on with Nancy Pelosi's tax-hiking agenda though, it looks like Spratt might be more at home in Pelosi's liberal San Francisco district than his own in South Carolina," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.

Rep. Spratt joined with Rep. Pelosi in a letter to Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) calling for removal of the already-approved tax relief in the budget resolution. ATR's Grover Norquist has said that times of natural disaster are among the worst to discuss adding to the tax burden of Americans.

"Rep. Spratt should know that the last thing South Carolinians need is a tax increase, and frankly it's the last thing victims of Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita need. Tax hikes suppress economic growth, which is exactly what the hardest-hit parts of our country do need. Spratt and Pelosi should back off their ill-conceived idea to tax their way out of yet another problem," added Norquist.

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