[Printable PDF Version]

Will Congressman Harry Mitchell Hike Taxes on Cayenne Medical Workers in Scottsdale?

New Obama healthcare plan endangers 4,506 Arizona jobs

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Buried in the latest government healthcare plan proposed by President Obama is a new tax on medical device manufacturers, who make everything from prosthetic limbs to pacemakers.  The bill imposes a new tax of $2 billion per year (rising to $3 billion in 2017) on the industry.  Congressman Harry Mitchell will have a chance to vote on this bill later this year.

This new tax will particularly hit the Cayenne Medical facility in Scottsdale, Arizona.  It employs 45 people—workers who may find themselves with a pink slip instead of a paycheck if this jobs-killing tax hike goes through.

“Washington politicians like to talk about jobs, but speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and President Barack Obama want to raise taxes on the medical device industry that will kill jobs,” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.  “Congressman Harry Mitchell can talk all he wants.  Now he has a choice to vote with the Democrat leadership and kill jobs in Arizona or to summon the courage to vote against the Democrat leadership and protect those jobs.”

Statewide, there are 4,506 employees working for the medical device industry. The average medical device worker in Arizona earns $49,000, higher than the state average of $31,400.  Statewide, there were $1.4 million in medical device sales in Arizona in the latest reporting year.

Congressman Harry Mitchell VOTED FOR this same tax hike just last year.  How will the Congressman vote this time?

There are other medical device manufacturing employees in Congressman Harry Mitchell’s district who are endangered by this tax hike.  They work at the following location:

• Sensys Medical in Chandler, Arizona -- Sensys employs 40 people