Americans for Tax Reform calls on John McGoff and Susan Brooks to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in their bids for the GOP nomination in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District. If they continue to refuse to sign the Pledge, they should tell voters exactly which taxes they intend to hike if elected to Congress. Former Congressman David McIntosh, Marion Mayor Wayne Seybold, and Attorney Jack Lugar are currently the only candidates to sign the “no-new taxes” Pledge in this crowded primary field.

The Pledge commits signers to “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses … and oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.”

Currently, 98% of Republicans in Congress have signed the Pledge. This includes the entire Indiana GOP House delegation and Representative Dan Burton, who is retiring this year. By refusing to sign the Pledge, if McGoff or Brooks are elected, the taxpayers of Indiana’s 5^th Congressional District will no longer have an ally in Washington, D.C.

“The voters in Indiana have a right to know where candidates stand on the issues before electing them to Congress,” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. “It’s only logical to assume that if they won’t sign the Pledge then they have plans to raise taxes.”

 “I applaud David McIntosh, Wayne Seybold, and Jack Lugar for their dedication to the taxpayers of Indiana,” continued Norquist. “Taxpayers deserve to know that the men and women they elect to office will stand on their side against the special interests and tax hikes in Washington. I urge McGoff and Brooks to join with the others in promising never to raise taxes on the voters of Indiana.”

Posted by Paul Blair on Friday, May 4, 2012 5:41 PM EDT

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