In August, ATR announced that Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge for the special election in New York’s 23rd Congressional District. As of today, he’s still the only candidate to have signed the Pledge. Why is this important?

Well, there are a number of important tax-related votes coming up in the House that should make taxpayers worried. The current health care debate is a perfect example. According to Ryan Ellis, ATR’s Tax Policy Director, there are at least three clear and unambiguous violations of the Pledge in H.R. 3200, the House draft of the health care bill: 
  1. Medicine cabinet tax- would deny families the ability to use flexible spending accounts (FSA accounts) and health savings accounts (HSA accounts) to purchase over-the-counter medications
  2. Uninsured 2.5% surtax– a tax on individuals failing to sign up for health care equal to the lesser of 2.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI) or the average individual premium amount
  3. Surtax on small businesses- a new "surtax" on the AGI of small businesses and other high income earners.
With so much to worry about in regards to the economy, U.S. taxpayers, and especially those in NY-23rd Congressional District, have the right to know where Hoffman, Scozzafava, and Owens stand on tax increases. We know where Hoffman stands already but the question remains open for Scozzafava and Owens. Which taxes and “fees” do they intend to hike if they’re elected?   
 
Ask the remaining candidates to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge today! Call Dede Scozzafava at 315-755-2540 and Democrat Bill Owens at 518-645-1426.