How the Trump Republican Tax Cuts are Helping Mississippi

Posted by John Kartch on Wednesday, July 1st, 2020, 11:10 AM PERMALINK Follow @johnkartch

Mississippi is benefiting greatly from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted by congressional Republicans and President Trump:

204,900 Mississippi households are benefiting from the TCJA’s doubling of the child tax credit.

Every income group in every Mississippi congressional district received a tax cut. Nationwide, a typical family of four received a $2,000 annual tax cut and a single parent with one child received a $1,300 annual tax cut.

933,540 Mississippi households are benefiting from the TCJA’s doubling of the standard deduction. Thanks to the tax cuts, nine out of ten households take the standard deduction which provides tax relief and simplifies the tax filing process.

32,260 Mississippi households are benefiting from the TCJA’s elimination of the Obamacare individual mandate tax. Most households hit with this tax made less than $50,000 per year.

Lower utility bills: As a direct result of the TCJA’s corporate tax rate cut, Mississippi residents are saving money on utility bills. Lower electric, water, and gas bills help households and small businesses operating on tight margins. For example, Entergy Mississippi (see below) passed its tax savings on to its customers.

Thanks to the tax cuts, Mississippi businesses of all sizes are hiring, expanding, raising pay and increasing employee benefits:

Treppendahl’s Super Foods (Woodville, Mississippi) - employee raises, facility upgrades, expand product selection, developing plan to upgrade checkout lanes, purchasing new equipment:

“The new tax law has had an immediate positive impact on my family business’ ability to invest in our store and local community. Independent grocery stores are capital intensive businesses that survive on 1 to 2 percent profit margins. As a direct result of tax reform, we have upgraded and replaced 12doors in the frozen foods section of our store during the past few months. That may not sound like a big project to some people, but that investment cost over $65,000 and most importantly provided work for our local refrigeration company. Because of these new freezers we have been able to expand our selection of frozen foods to our customers and save on energy costs.

We are also in the process of working with the Associated Grocers of Baton Rouge, our wholesaler, to develop a plan for upgrading our checkout lanes, which are currently 18 years old. We hope to install new checkout counters in our store next year. The grocery business also requires us to purchase expensive equipment such as coolers and air conditioners to remain functioning. If it were not for tax reform, we would not have been able to make these improvements to our store. Being able to invest our savings back into our business and community is a good thing. The new tax law has increased my confidence in making important business decisions, now and in the future, which has allowed me to be more comfortable investing in my business. If these tax cuts were to be reversed, I would not feel comfortable reinvesting in my store. Tax reform has also allowed me to provide all full-time, rank and file, employees with raises, which has boosted our employees’ confidence and ability to support themselves and their families.” - July 25, 2018 excerpt from House Small Business Committee hearing on “The Tax Law’s Impact on Main Street”

Lazy Magnolia Brewery (Kiln, Mississippi) - provide employee benefits, give employee promotions, and complete facility upgrades:

Known for its Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale, Lazy Magnolia opened in 2005 and is the oldest packaging brewery in Mississippi. With the money saved from the tax cut, Henderson said the brewery has been able to improve benefits for employees, convert two part-time jobs to full time and improve the brewery's taproom. - June 2, 2018 CNN article excerpt

Renasant Bank (Tupelo, Mississippi) - plans to share benefits with employees, community, and clients:

Renasant Bank also announced plans to share benefits from the tax reform legislation with their 2,000 associates, communities, and clients.

"Our focus on these three constituencies for more than 114 years has provided us with the success we enjoy as a company," Renasant Chairman and CEO E. Robinson McGraw said. "We look forward to continuing our legacy of understanding and meeting the needs of the communities we serve." - January 9, 2018, Rep. Trent Kelly letter excerpt

Claiborne County, Mississippi -- Over 30,000 jobs are coming to to the Mississippi county because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

A stretch of economic development on the verge of breaking in Claiborne County could eventually create more than twice as many jobs than the counties current population.

In 2017 under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed by Congress and signed by President Trump low income urban and rural areas could receive special attention for investors and businesses to develop and create jobs and get federal tax deductions. Now Claiborne County is next in line.

Out of 100 areas declared “opportunity zones”, Claiborne County is taking advantage to seek big changes.

….

Leading the charge to be the first to move in is Houston Engineering Services Company, (HESCO)looking to bring the liquidating natural gas (LNG) business along the Mississippi River.

“It’s taking natural gas and liquefying it to below -260 degrees Fahrenheit,” HESCO CEO Monte Burton stated. “Allowing it to be turned into a liquid state which allows it to be transported.”

Burton expects to have his company break ground on building the plant west of Alcorn State by January requiring up to 1,000 construction jobs alone. But many question if the community can handle that production.

Following HESCO the County Chamber expect more plants and companies to follow totaling 6400 acres of industrial space filled around the southwestern Claiborne County region estimating 30,000 new jobs when finished. -- August 16, 2019 WJTV Article

Kevin-Charles Furniture (New Albany, Mississippi) - 5 percent employee pay raises, new facility investments:

Kevin-Charles Furniture in New Albany opened its doors in 2002 with just six employees. The New Albany-based furniture manufacturer has grown to 65 employees. Company President Rusty Berryhill said 2018 is going to be a good year for the company and its employees because of the new tax law. Kevin-Charles Furniture will be among the companies in Mississippi and across the nation who will have their corporate tax rate reduced from 35 percent to 21 percent.

The tax credits available for investment in equipment will make it possible for the company to purchase additional machinery. "We're really excited about the tax bill and what it is going to do for our operation," Rusty said. "I applaud the efforts of Congress to build back a business climate that makes it easier to invest in our people and facilities."

Additionally, the tax savings made it easier for Kevin-Charles Furniture to give employees a five percent pay raise. Carol Crisel, a seamstress for Kevin-Charles Furniture, has worked at the New Albany operation for 15 years. She and her husband are helping to raise two of their grandchildren. Carol said she is thankful that the new tax law made it possible for the pay increase. Doubling the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000 for each child is also going to be a tremendous help. - January 9, 2018, Rep. Trent Kelly letter excerpt

Whittington Scrap Metal (Union County, Mississippi) - business investments:

Michael and Heather Whittington, owners of Whittington Scrap Metal in Union County, are optimistic about what tax relief will bring to their family, business, and their customers. The Whittington's have three children, including one in college. Heather said tax breaks will help them save more money which they will invest in their business.

"If we are getting a cut on our taxes, that could be another employee we could hire," Heather said. "When our customers see an increase in their bottom line, that becomes a win-win situation for everyone." - January 9, 2018, Rep. Trent Kelly letter excerpt

Ingalls Shipbuilding (Pascagoula, Mississippi) -- $500 bonuses; $300 million in increased capital expenditures; increased pension contributions; increased charitable contributions:

The government's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has made way for big news at Huntington Ingalls Industries.

The company announced Thursday that it will give employees a bonus, increase voluntary contributions for qualified pension plans and grow charitable contributions.

In addition, the company said the tax reform will also allow a $300 million increase of investment into major capital projects to strengthen the core shipbuilding business.The majority of the 38,000 employees with the company will get an extra $500.

Since Ingalls Shipbuilding is so intertwined into the South Mississippi community, the increase is likely to have a big business impact as well.

The news has several business owners in downtown Pascagoula excited about the potential for growth. Most said that 50 percent or more of their business comes from Ingalls employees.

“It’s pretty big. It’s good news, actually,” said Robynn Rankin, owner of Bridget Blue boutique. “Because I know the past couple of years have been really slow all over town. I think it will help a lot. I mean, we’ve seen businesses on the street shut down because of the down turn of the economy.”

Ariel Hebert will see benefits from two sides.

She owns Itty Bitty Boutique and Monogramming, while her husband works at Ingalls.

“I feel like that that would be a little extra cash in our hands to do a few renovations we want to do at our house,” she said, “Or, you know, to support other local businesses.”

Each employee should get the check by the second week of March on their normal payday. -- Feb. 15, 2018 WLOX news report

Ridgewood Consulting (Brookhaven, Mississippi) -- The firm is building 48 new homes that are located in an Opportunity Zone created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:

If all goes as planned, construction of four dozen three-bedroom homes will begin off South First Street next year.

Mayor Joe Cox announced at Tuesday's meeting of the Brookhaven Board of Aldermen that developers recently received $10 million in funding for Mill Creek, a housing community that will be built just north of Dale Trail Northeast.

"At this point, they're vetting their investors and they hope to begin construction in April of 2020," Cox said.

Cox read an email from Len Reeves of Ridgewood Consulting: "With Mill Creek, Brookhaven will be home to the only new construction community that was funded under the State of Mississippi's recent Opportunity Zone housing initiative."

Opportunity Zones is a federal initiative created under the 2017 Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which provides incentives for qualified investors to invest capital gains in distressed communities across the United States. -- October 17, 2019 The Daily Leader article

Great Southern Wood Preserving, Inc. (Brookhaven, Mississippi) -- Significantly increased employee benefits: lower healthcare costs, more paid time off, scholarships, and more:

Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated, has begun an active and ongoing process to increase employee benefits by reinvesting its tax savings in its people, the company has announced. The company expects full implementation to take place in 2018.

In late 2017, Congress passed and the President signed into law legislation providing significant tax breaks for corporations. Across America, many companies have chosen a variety of options for applying these savings, such as providing one-time bonuses to employees, increasing charitable giving and reinvesting in facilities upgrades.

For its part, Great Southern Wood will make investments on an ongoing basis to lower healthcare costs for eligible employees, allow employees to accrue more paid time off based on length of service, develop scholarships for dependents of employees and enhance other benefits going forward.

“I’m very pleased that every employee across the company will see the results of the change in tax laws,” said Jimmy Rane, Great Southern Wood’s founder, president and CEO. “The success we’ve enjoyed as a company comes from every one of us working hard and doing our part, and I can’t think of a better way to apply our tax savings than by further investing in benefits programs for our employees. We strive to be an employer that draws the best and brightest to our company, and we believe that providing stronger benefits is essential to this continuing effort.”

Great Southern employs almost 1,200 at locations in eleven states. [Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Florida] -- March 29, 2018 Great Southern Wood Preserving, Inc. press release

BancorpSouth Bank (Tupelo, Mississippi) – Pay raises for over 70 percent of employees; $1,000 bonuses for nearly 20 percent of employees:

BancorpSouth Bank (NYSE: BXS) today announced an additional investment in its employees, which includes pay increases and /or one-time bonuses to nearly all non-commissioned employees.

The investment of over $10 million in 2018 will benefit 96% of the Company's non-commissioned workforce. Pay increases were effective January 1, 2018.

"We are proud to reward our team with this opportunity since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act should benefit everyone" said Dan Rollins, Chairman and CEO. "BancorpSouth's continued and future success is based on the economic vitality of the communities we serve and taking care of our teammates allows us to provide the very best service to our customers, communities and shareholders." – Jan. 3, 2018 BancorpSouth Bank press release

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The increased compensation overall at BancorpSouth affected more than 70 percent of all employees, and provided a $1,000 bonus to nearly 20 percent of all employees.

BancorpSouth employs some 4,000 employees in more than 230 locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas, plus an insurance location in Illinois. – Jan. 4, 2018 Daily Journal/BizBuzz article

Vicksburg Forest Products LLC (Vicksburg, Mississippi) -- Because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, local Opportunity Zones are bringing in jobs:

“...I was a part of the first one (opportunity zone development) in the United States,” Flaggs said. “They asked me to speak about Vicksburg; its progress and why the opportunity zone worked for us and how it can be a model for the country.”

Vicksburg has three opportunity zones, “And we’re going to make every effort to utilize them,” Flaggs said. The Forestland Group, which bought Anderson-Tully in 2006, announced earlier in 2018 that it was closing the mill — a move affecting the 158 workers at the plant.

Jackson-based Vicksburg Forest Products LLC, the parent company of Vicksburg Forest Products, was able to take advantage of opportunity zone funding and bought the Anderson-Tully mill operation in June 2018, saving 125 jobs...

He said another opportunity zone includes the Mississippi Hardware building, which is being converted into the Mississippi Center for Innovation & Technology, an innovation and tech transfer center to serve the Vicksburg area and the entire central Mississippi region.” – October 3rd, 2019, The Vicksburg Post

Entergy Mississippi (Jackson, Mississippi): The utility is passing tax reform savings to customers:

If approved by the MPSC, the multi-million dollars in tax savings will benefit customers in three ways:

short-term bill credits,
long-term rate reductions and
alleviation of some future rate increases.

These are projected to begin this summer, when usage and bills are typically at their highest. Based on its plan, Entergy Mississippi expects residential customer bills to drop more than $30 per month during July, August and September, from a combination of lower-rates and short-term bill credits.

Without the tax reform, which reduced the corporate tax from 35 percent to 21 percent, substantial projects undertaken by Entergy to strengthen and modernize the grid would have required significant rate increases.

“We intend to ensure that our customers receive timely benefits from the new tax reforms,” said Haley Fisackerly, Entergy Mississippi president and CEO. “The tax reduction will allow us to reduce rates, provide substantial bill credits and lower our customers’ bills during the high-usage summer months.” – Feb. 26, 2018 Entergy Mississippi press release excerpt

AT&T -- $1,000 bonuses to 2,576 Mississippi employees; Nationwide, $1,000 bonuses for 200,000 employees and a $1 billion increase in capital expenditures:

Today, Congress approved legislation representing the first comprehensive tax reform in a generation. The President is expected to sign the bill in the coming days.

Once tax reform is signed into law, AT&T* plans to invest an additional $1 billion in the United States in 2018 and pay a special $1,000 bonus to more than 200,000 AT&T U.S. employees — all union-represented, non-management and front-line managers. If the President signs the bill before Christmas, employees will receive the bonus over the holidays.

“Congress, working closely with the President, took a monumental step to bring taxes paid by U.S. businesses in line with the rest of the industrialized world,” said Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and CEO. “This tax reform will drive economic growth and create good-paying jobs. In fact, we will increase our U.S. investment and pay a special bonus to our U.S. employees.”

Since 2012, AT&T has invested more in the United States than any other public company. Every $1 billion in capital invested in the telecom industry creates about 7,000 jobs for American workers, research shows. -- Dec. 20, 2017 AT&T Inc. press release

Walmart – Mississippi employees at 78 Walmart stores received tax reform bonuses, wage increases, and expanded maternity and parental leave. Walmart employees who adopt children will be given $5,000 to help cover expenses.

Home Depot -- 14 locations in Mississippi - Bonuses for all hourly employees, up to $1,000.

Lowe's -- 3,000 employees at 24 stores and one distribution center in Mississippi. Employees will receive bonuses of up to $1,000 based on length of service; expanded benefits and maternity/parental leave; $5,000 of adoption assistance.

Ryder (Six locations in Mississippi) – Tax reform bonuses to employees.

Best Buy -- Nine locations in Mississippi; $1,000 bonuses for full-time employees; $500 bonuses for part-time employees.

Cintas (Multiple locations in Mississippi) -- $1,000 bonuses for employees of at least a year, $500 for employees of less than a year.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (Oxford, Mississippi) – Bonuses ranging from $250 to $1,000; increased employee benefits; $50 million investment in existing restaurants.

Comcast (Multiple locations in Mississippi) -- $1,000 bonuses; nationwide, at least $50 billion investment in infrastructure in next five years.

Starbucks Coffee Company (32 locations in Mississippi) –$500 stock grants for all retail employees, $2,000 stock grants for store managers, and varying plan and support center employee stock grants. Nationally, 8,000 new retail jobs; an additional wage increase this year, totaling approximately $120 million in wage increases, increased sick time benefits and parental leave.

T.J. Maxx – (Ten locations in Mississippi) – Tax reform bonuses, retirement plan contributions, parental leave, enhanced vacation benefits, and increased charitable donations:

The 2017 Tax Act benefited the Company in the fourth quarter and full year Fiscal 2018. The Company expects to continue to benefit from the 2017 Tax Act going forward, primarily due to the lower U.S. corporate income tax rate. As a result of the estimated cash benefit related to the 2017 Tax Act, the Company is taking the following actions:

Associates

A one-time, discretionary bonus to eligible, non-bonus-plan Associates, globally
An incremental contribution to the Company’s defined contribution retirement plans for eligible Associates in the U.S. and internationally
Instituting paid parental leave for eligible Associates in the U.S.
Enhancing vacation benefits for certain U.S. Associates

Communities

Made meaningful contributions to TJX’s charitable foundations around the world to further support TJX’s charitable giving – Feb. 28, 2018 The TJX Companies Inc. press release excerpt

U-Haul (Multiple locations in Mississippi) – $1,200 bonuses for full-time employees, $500 for part-time employees.

Dollar Tree, Inc. (Multiple locations in Mississippi) - Nationwide, $100 million investment in raising base wages, enhanced benefits including maternity leave for qualifying employees, and employee training.

FedEx (Multiple locations in Mississippi) – Accelerated and increased compensation; pension plan contributions:

FedEx Corporation is announcing three major programs today following the recently enacted U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:

Over $200 million in increased compensation, about two-thirds of which will go to hourly team members by advancing 2018 annual pay increases by six months to April 1st from the normal October date. The remainder will fund increases in performance- based incentive plans for salaried personnel.
A voluntary contribution of $1.5 billion to the FedEx pension plan to ensure it remains one of the best funded retirement programs in the country.
Investing $1.5 billion to significantly expand the FedEx Express Indianapolis hub over the next seven years. The Memphis SuperHub will also be modernized and enlarged in a major program the details of which will be announced later this spring.

FedEx believes the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will likely increase GDP and investment in the United States. -- Jan. 26 2018, FedEx press release

Waste Management Inc. (Multiple locations in Mississippi) -- $2,000 bonuses:

In light of the meaningful contributions of its employees and the new U.S. corporate tax structure, the company will distribute US $2,000 in 2018 to every North American employee not on a bonus or sales incentive plan; that includes hourly and other employees.

“We are about to get a tax benefit as our U.S. corporate tax rate goes from 35 percent to 21 percent. In considering how to best spend that, we wanted to find a way to help grow our economy, which in turn, will help grow our business, and give some of the tax savings back to those hardworking employees who do not get the opportunity to participate in our salaried incentive plans,” said Jim Fish, president and chief executive officer, Waste Management.

“So, we are offering each North American hourly full-time employee and salaried employee who does not participate in any sales incentive or bonus plan during 2018, a cash bonus of US $2,000 to show our appreciation to so many of our valued employees while growing our business and returning a good portion of the tax savings directly to the overall economy,” he continued. – Jan. 10 2018, Waste Management Inc. press release excerpt

McDonald’s (150+ locations in Mississippi) – Increased tuition investments which will provide educational program access for 400,000 U.S. employees. $2,500 per year (up from $700) for crew working 15 hours a week, $3,000 (up from $1,050) for managers, and more:

McDonald’s Corporation today announced it will allocate $150 million over five years to its global Archways to Opportunity education program. This investment will provide almost 400,000 U.S. restaurant employees with accessibility to the program as the company will also lower eligibility requirements from nine months to 90 days of employment and drop weekly shift minimums from 20 hours to 15 hours. Additionally, McDonald’s will also extend some education benefits to restaurant employees’ family members. These enhancements underscore McDonald’s and its independent franchisees’ commitment to providing jobs that fit around the lives of restaurant employees so they may pursue their education and career ambitions.

The Archways to Opportunity program provides eligible U.S. employees an opportunity to earn a high school diploma, receive upfront college tuition assistance, access free education advising services and learn English as a second language.

“Our commitment to education reinforces our ongoing support of the people who play a crucial role in our journey to build a better McDonald’s,” said Steve Easterbrook, McDonald’s President and CEO. “By offering restaurant employees more opportunities to further their education and pursue their career aspirations, we are helping them find their full potential, whether that’s at McDonald’s or elsewhere.”

Accelerated by changes in the U.S. tax law, McDonald’s increased investment in the Archways to Opportunity Program includes:

Increased Tuition Investment:
- Crew: Eligible crew will have access to $2,500/year, up from $700/year.
- Managers: Eligible Managers will have access to $3,000/year, up from $1,050.
- Participants have a choice for how they apply this funding – whether it be to a community college, four year university or trade school. There is no lifetime cap on tuition assistance – restaurant employees will be able to pursue their education and career passions at their own pace. The new tuition assistance is effective May 1, 2018 and retroactive to January 1, 2018.
Lowered Eligibility Requirements: Increase access to the program by lowering eligibility requirements from nine months to 90 days of employment. In addition, dropping from 20 hours minimum to 15 hours minimum (roughly two full time shifts) per week to enable restaurant employees more time to focus on studies.
Extended Services to Families: Extension of Career Online High School and College Advisory services to restaurant employees’ family members through existing educational partners Cengage and Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL).
Additional Resources: Career exploration resources for eligible restaurant employees to be available later this year.
Creation of an International Education Fund: Grants to provide local initiatives and incentives in global markets to further education advancement programs.

“Since its inception, Archways to Opportunity was meant to match the ambition and drive of restaurant crew with the means and network to help them find success on their own terms,” said David Fairhurst, McDonald’s Chief People Officer. “By tripling tuition assistance, adding education benefits for family members and lowering eligibility requirements to the equivalent of a summer job, we are sending a signal that if you come work at your local McDonald’s, we’ll invest in your future.”

After launching in the U.S. in 2015, Archways to Opportunity has increased access to education for over 24,000 people and awarded over $21 million in high school and college tuition assistance. Graduates have received college degrees in Business Administration, Human Resources, Communications, Accounting, Microbiology and more. – March 29, 2018 McDonald’s Corporation press release excerpt

Wells Fargo (12 locations in Mississippi) - Raised base wage from $13.50 to $15.00 per hour; $400 million in charitable donations for 2018; $100 million increased capital investment over the next three years.

Note: If you know of other Mississippi examples, please email John Kartch at jkartch@atr.org

The running nationwide list of companies can be found at www.atr.org/list

Photo Credit: edgrawes/Flickr

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Supercut: Team Biden Vows to Impose Carbon Tax

Posted by John Kartch on Tuesday, December 1st, 2020, 9:00 PM PERMALINK Follow @JohnKartch

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have endorsed a carbon tax on the American people.

And as shown in the video below, they are surrounding themselves with others pushing a carbon tax, including climate czar John Kerry, OMB pick Neera Tanden, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen:

A carbon tax would impose burdens on households due to higher costs of cooling and heating, transportation, and groceries.

Even Hillary Clinton in 2016 decided to oppose a carbon tax after she learned the following from an internal Clinton report prepared by policy staff:

The Hillary memo states that a carbon tax would devastate low-income households: “As with the increase in energy costs, the increase in the cost of nonenergy goods and services would disproportionately impact low-income households.”

The Hillary memo states that a carbon tax would cause gas prices to increase 40 cents a gallon and residential electricity prices to increase 12% - 21%: “In our analysis, for example, a $42/ton GHG fee increases gasoline prices by roughly 40 cents per gallon on average between 2020 and 2030 and residential electricity prices by 2.6 cents per kWh, 12% and 21% above levels projected in the EIA’s 2014 Annual Energy Outlook respectively.

The Hillary memo states a carbon tax would cause household energy bills to go up significantly: “Average household energy costs would increase by roughly $480 per year, or 10% relative to the levels projected in EIA’s 2014 Outlook.”

The Hillary memo states that a carbon tax would increase the cost of household goods and services: “The cost of other household goods and services would increase as well as companies pass forward the higher energy costs paid to produce those goods and services on to consumers.”

(Source: MEMORANDUM FOR HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON -- Jan. 20, 2015)

Carbon taxes are highly unpopular with voters. In fact, carbon tax advocates can’t even get a carbon tax passed in a single blue state, as this timeline shows.

Carbon taxes also saddle state and local governments with huge costs. For example, a school district in Canada was forced to kick 400 kids off the school bus program in order to pay a $3.3 million carbon tax bill.

It's no wonder conservative groups wrote a letter to Congress Stating: "We oppose any carbon tax." The official Republican Party platform also rejects "any carbon tax."

Biden's carbon tax will also shatter his pledge to each and every American making less than $400,000 that he will not raise a single penny of any tax.

Posted by Alex Hendrie on Tuesday, December 1st, 2020, 2:33 PM PERMALINK

If lawmakers fail to act by the end of the year, breweries, distilleries, and wineries across America will face a tax increase.

The Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA) was first enacted through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. This bill provided federal excise tax relief for breweries, wineries, and distilleries, allowing these businesses to hire more employees, purchase new equipment, and expand production.

Unfortunately, this tax relief was temporary and is set to expire at the end of the year. Congress can make these tax cuts permanent by passing S. 362/H.R. 1175, legislation introduced by Reps. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) and Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo).

This legislation is overwhelmingly bipartisan and has been co-sponsored by 350 members of the House of Representatives and 76 Senators. Congress should pass this legislation, either as a stand-alone proposal or as part of a broader legislative package.

ATR has kept a running list of dozens of distilleries, breweries, and wineries that have been able to expand production, hire new workers, and invest in the economy thanks to the CBMTRA. Making these tax cuts permanent will help businesses continue supporting the economy and workers.

Examples of businesses that have already seen benefits from the CBMTRA include:

Alexander Valley Vineyards

(Healdsburg, California) – The vineyard was able to create new jobs, buy new equipment, and remodel their tasting rooms because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:

“The craft beverage bill has been an incredible boost for our industry and this extension allows us to continue investing in our wineries by buying new equipment, remodeling tasting rooms, hiring new employees and more,” said Hank Wetzel, founder and family partner of Alexander Valley Vineyards and Chairman of Wine Institute. “All of this benefits local communities in the form of jobs, tax revenue and support for the hospitality industry.” – Dec. 20, 2019, Southeast Farm Press article.

Portland Cider Company

(Clackamas, Oregon) – Because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the owner was able to create new jobs and invest in new equipment:

Jeff Parish, Co-Founder of Portland Cider Company and Committee Member of the United States Association of Cider Makers: “As a cider maker, the temporary CBMTRA allowed me to purchase new equipment, hire new staff and grow my business. If the excise tax credits go away, I have to reverse those choices. We're hopeful the permanent version of the bill passes, so we can plan with certainty for a growth-future." – Feb. 6, 2019, U.S. Senate Finance Committee press release.

Central Standard Distillery

(Milwaukee, Wisconsin) – The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act allowed the distillery to hire four new employees, invest in a new facility, and ordered a new bottling line:

"Central Standard Distillery co-owner Evan Hughes said his business was able to grow faster than it normally would because of the act. He attributes four key growth areas to the success of the act, including: Central Standard hired four new employees, bringing staff totals to 22 people. The company invested in a 15,000-square-foot facility on Clybourn Street. In addition, Central Standard ordered a new bottling line for improved efficiency and offered health care to all of its employees.

"It gave us the courage to expand our business quicker than we normally would," Hughes said. – Dec. 10, 2019, Milwaukee Business Journal.

Bar Cento

(Cleveland, Ohio) – The tax cuts allowed the bar to add new jobs and invest more in their facility:

Sam McNulty, co-founder of multiple Cleveland brewery/restaurants including Market Garden Brewery and Bar Cento, credited the tax break with helping his operations expand at an accelerated rate, "which in our case meant several million dollars of investment in our facility as well as the creation of a large number of full-time positions."

Not having certainty for the tax cut beyond next year could stymie other, more long-term investments.

"As in life, so it goes in business, where if the future is uncertain, you are more likely to be less secure and optimistic and thus more conservative and frugal," McNulty said. "There's not a bank on the planet that will finance a business that has only a one-year lease. And so a one-year extension is appreciated, but it is not enough to really fuel this growing industry and reach the full promise of the economic benefits of local craft beer." – Dec. 17, 2018, Crains Cleveland article.

Photo Credit: Darren Maloney

Posted by Katie McAuliffe on Tuesday, December 1st, 2020, 9:44 AM PERMALINK Follow @https://twitter.com/digitalliberty?lang=en

Today, Americans for Tax Reform sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urging him to confirm Nathan Simington as Federal Communications Commissioner before the end of this year.

The continue reading for the full letter text or click here.

December 1, 2020

The Honorable Mitch McConnell

Senate Majority Leader

S-230, The Capitol

Washington DC, 20510

Re: Support of Nomination of Nathan Simington to the Federal Communications Commission

Dear Majority Leader McConnell:

I write in support of Nathan Simington’s nomination to the Federal Communications Commission.

In the past four years, the FCC, under Chairman Ajit Pai’s leadership, has made major accomplishments in promoting resilient networks that spurred broadband deployment and investment. This foresight and swift action during the pandemic, kept Americans connected through the volatile and uncertain times faced by families as COVID-19 emerged globally.

Right now, Joe Biden is poised to inherit a Democrat-led FCC on day one. Under long-standing tradition, the current Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will step down in January. Likewise, current Republican FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly will leave the agency when Congress adjourns in a few weeks because his term has expired. This means that the normally five-member FCC would be controlled by Democrats, 2-1, starting on January 20. That would give the agency the opportunity to jam through a partisan Biden agenda. While floor time is limited during the Senate’s lame-duck session, confirming Simington this year would ensure a 2-2 FCC that could forestall billions in economic damage.

The Commission’s role in Restoring Internet Freedom to stop so-called net neutrality prevented regulations that would have treated broadband providers like utilities under Title II of the Communications Act. This created an environment for $80 billion of dollars in investment from 2018 through 2019. It also prevented giving states and localities the ability to institute their own taxes and fees on broadband networks.

Republicans should not underestimate the harm that a Democrat-led FCC could impose on the American economy during Biden’s first 100 days.

A Biden Administration will likely lean on the FCC to help push through an agenda focused on taxpayer funded broadband, as it did during the Obama years. Many states have opposed taxpayer funded municipal broadband networks, while other states have pursued this path. The courts prevent the Obama era FCC from inserting itself into states who opposed municipal broadband networks. Meanwhile, we have watched networks consistently fail in states that chose to pursue taxpayer funded networks.

A Democrat-controlled FCC is expected to significantly increase its spending of Americans’ hard-earned dollars. They can do so immediately through the FCC’s Universal Service Fund without any input or check from the Senate simply by adding charges to American’s telephone bills. Democrats have also called for massive increases in in the FCC’s Lifeline and E-Rate programs. Internet connectivity has become even more vital as many of us continue to work, educate, visit doctors, and entertain from home. However, this does not necessarily mean increases in spending are necessary. The FCC has done much to redirect funding and audit subsidies.

5G connectivity has been a rallying cry across the isles, and while spectrum auctions are sure to continue, another democrat priority may involve rolling back FCC rules that limit how much cities can charge telecom companies for 5G cell sites. Bringing cities in line with market rates has encouraged and expedited the spread of important 5G infrastructure.

By confirming Simington now as Commissioner to the FCC, the Senate can forestall the impending economic harms and damage to deregulatory policies from the last four years. While the Senate calendar is tight, spending the necessary floor time to get Simington confirmed to the FCC is the most economically beneficial use of Congress’s time.

Americans for Tax Reform urges you to confirm Nathan Simington to the FCC before the end of this year. Simington’s confirmation now would ensure a 2-2 FCC at the outset of a Biden Presidency. The FCC could continue to pursue important initiatives on a bi-partisan basis, but it would be blocked from jamming through partisan initiatives—whether those involve profligate spending or an anti-growth agenda. Should you have any questions or comments on this matter, please reach out to me, or our Director of Federal Policy, Katie McAuliffe, kmcauliffe@atr.org.

Onward,

Grover G. Norquist

President

Americans for Tax Reform

Photo Credit: David Berkowitz

Posted by Tom Hebert on Tuesday, December 1st, 2020, 7:45 AM PERMALINK Follow @tomhebertdc

If Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff are elected to the Senate by winning the January 5, 2021 runoff elections, they will rubber stamp the Biden-Harris agenda of higher taxes on the American people.

Joe Biden has promised $4 trillion in new or higher taxes on the American people and has pledged to repeal the Trump- Republican Tax Cuts and Jobs Act “on day one.” This would raise taxes on middle class Americans all across the country – a family of four with the median annual income of $73,000 will see a tax hike of more than $2,058.

This means that if Warnock and Ossoff win on January 5th, their first order of business will be to raise taxes on all Georgians by repealing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Using IRS data from 2017 and 2018, ATR calculated the average decrease in tax liability for various income thresholds thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Families with AGI of between $50,000 and $100,000 saw a tax cut of roughly double that families with AGI of over $1 million received. The breakdown for Georgia is below:

Taxpayers with AGI of between $25,000 and $49,999 saw their average tax liability drop from $2,553.19 in 2017 to $2,312.76 in 2018, a 9.4 percent reduction in federal tax liability.
Taxpayers with AGI of between $50,000 and $74,999 saw their average tax liability drop from $5,459.71 in 2017 to $4,829.49 in 2018, a 11.5 percent reduction in federal tax liability.
Taxpayers with AGI of between $75,000 and $99,999 saw their average tax liability drop from $8,803.29 in 2017 to $7,675.99 in 2018, a 12.8 percent reduction in federal tax liability.
Taxpayers with AGI of between $100,000 and $200,000 saw their average tax liability drop from $17,824.57 in 2017 to $15,881.30 in 2018, a 10.9 percent reduction in federal tax liability.
Taxpayers with AGI of over $1 million saw their average tax liability drop from $786,363.64 in 2017 to $737,697.06 in 2018, a 6.2 percent reduction in federal tax liability.

Incumbent Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler have been consistent advocates of lower taxes and limited government. Sen. Perdue voted for the TCJA, which reduced taxes for Georgians across the board. While Sen. Loeffler was not in Congress at that time, she has consistently voiced support for lower taxes and has signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge signer, a written commitment to her constituents to oppose any and all income tax increases.

The distinction is clear – Perdue and Loeffler will fight for low taxes and a strong economy while Ossoff and Warnock will vote for the Biden agenda of higher taxes on all Georgians and Americans across the country.

Photo Credit: John Ramspott

Posted by Alex Hendrie on Tuesday, December 1st, 2020, 7:30 AM PERMALINK

Neera Tanden, President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), wants to impose a steep national soda tax.

Tanden endorsed the “Medicare for America Act,” legislation introduced by House Democrats that imposed a one cent tax per 4.2 grams of caloric sweetener in sugary drinks.

The Center for American Progress, which is currently led by Tanden, also called for a tax on sugary drinks as part of their “Medicare Extra for All” plan. This plan would impose several “public health excise taxes” including a tax of 1 cent per ounce to finance new spending on liberal priorities.

If one of these sugary drink taxes were imposed, it could result in a 55 to 67 cent tax on a 2-liter bottle of Coca-Cola. A single 2 liter bottle of Coca-Cola costs anywhere from $1.25 to $1.70, so this tax could total 50 percent of the cost of the product. With the Tanden soda tax burden, the cost of a 12-pack of soda could increase by $1.11 to $1.44.

A tax on sugary drinks would also be extremely regressive and disproportionately harm low-income Americans. In fact, according to a 2018 report from the Tax Foundation, 47 percent of the tax collections from a sugary drink excise tax would come from households with income under $50,000.

Even Bernie Sanders came out against a soda tax.

During his 2016 presidential bid Bernie Sanders slammed Hillary Clinton’s endorsement of a soda tax. Sanders said:

“The mechanism here is fairly regressive. And that is, it will be increasing taxes on low income and working people.”

Sanders went on to note that Clinton’s embrace of a soda tax violated her pledge to the American people not to support any tax increase on Americans making less than $250,000 per year.

"Frankly, I am very surprised that Secretary Clinton would support this regressive tax after pledging not to raise taxes on anyone making less than $250,000. This proposal clearly violates her pledge," Sanders said.

Needless to stay, this tax would violate Biden’s pledge to not raise a single penny of any tax on any American making less than $400,000 per year.

The OMB Director is responsible for implementing the President’s policy priorities across the executive branch. If confirmed, Tanden would play a key role in shaping and implementing policy proposals under a President Biden.

Biden has already called for $4 trillion in new or higher taxes on American families and businesses. With Tanden as OMB chief, a sugary drink tax could be next.

Photo Credit: Center for American Progress

Posted by Sheridan Nolen on Wednesday, November 25th, 2020, 4:17 PM PERMALINK Follow @snolen_ok

Ohio’s current local income tax structure allows municipalities to tax employees even if they do not physically work in the city that is taxing them.

This is a common rationale: employees can be taxed based upon where they work because they are using city resources like police, fire, and other public services while they are at work.

However, what happens when people stop actually working at that location? Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s statewide COVID-19 Stay-at-Home order earlier this year has forced many employees to work from home. This means Ohioans are paying taxes to cities whose services they no longer use.

At the beginning of the pandemic in March, lawmakers passed HB 197 which deemed all work performed at private homes during the public health emergency to have been performed at the employees’ principal place of work for the purposes of taxation. In other words, cities were permitted to collect income tax dollars as though businesses were operating under normal circumstances.

This was originally passed under the assumption that it would be a temporary law, only to stay in place until 30 days after Gov. Mike DeWine ended his state of emergency declaration. As the pandemic has carried on far longer than initially anticipated, the temporary nature of the law has been strained.

In July, The Buckeye Institute and three of its employees filed a lawsuit against the City of Columbus and the State of Ohio. The lawsuit asserts it is unconstitutional to allow cities to tax income of workers who do not live there, and were not permitted to work there during the Stay-at-Home order.

In order to comply with Ohio’s emergency orders, which required nonessential businesses to close, The Buckeye Institute required its employees to work from home. According to The Buckeye Institute, this is unlawful taxation and “a clear violation of due process rights under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and violates Article I, Section 1 of the Ohio Constitution.”

Robert Alt, President of The Buckeye Institute, cited the Hillenmeyer v. Cleveland Board of Review Supreme Court decision from 2015. In Hillenmeyer, the Court unanimously decided that local taxation of a non-resident's services must be based on the location of that person when the work was performed.

While the Ohio Supreme Court deliberates on the case, state legislators have said they plan to work on passing a new law before the end of the year. Two companion bills, inspired by The Buckeye Institute’s lawsuit, have been introduced in the Ohio Legislature.

Rep. Kris Jordan, R-Delaware, has sponsored HB 754 and Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, has introduced its companion, SB 352. Both pieces of legislation would amend income tax withholding rules for work-from-home employees related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees in Ohio would be taxed where they live rather than where they work.

Sen. Roegner said, “I don’t believe it’s constitutional to be able to tax someone that doesn’t step foot in your city.”

However, while various lawmakers like Roegner have expressed their beliefs that the law is unfair, cities across Ohio say repealing the temporary law would hurt city budgets. Organizations, such as the Ohio Municipal League, have also come out against such legislation.

Ohio Municipal League Executive Director, Kent Scarrett, said that “any shift from how income taxes are collected with the coronavirus emergency measure needs extensive debate.” Membership to the Ohio Municipal League is given to any city or village in Ohio that pays annual dues. In other words, many people who are directly part of City Government are key members of the Ohio Municipal League.

If a new law is not passed before the end of the 133rd General Assembly, Sen. Roegner has promised to bring a new bill back to the Statehouse in January 2021.

The lawsuit and pending legislation of HB 754 and SB 352 could benefit taxpayers during the pandemic by simplifying how they pay taxes.

Photo Credit: Nicholas Eckhart

Posted by Tom Hebert on Tuesday, November 24th, 2020, 2:55 PM PERMALINK Follow @tomhebertdc

Democrats are fighting to expand several unemployment programs into 2021, including reviving the Pelosi $600-per-week increase in unemployment payments that subsidized welfare over work.

This could endanger the economic recovery, as past expansions of unemployment programs have resulted in more Americans out of work and decreased labor demand, according to a 2019 study from the New York Federal Reserve.

On the heels of the Great Recession, Congress extended unemployment benefits for 13 weeks on top of the normal 26 week duration in June 2008. After President Obama took office, Congress passed a number of additional expansions to unemployment, eventually topping out at 99 weeks of benefits.

Analysts from the New York Federal Reserve estimated that the unemployment rate would have been 2.2 percentage points lower in 2011 and 3 percentage points lower in 2010 if Obama’s benefit expansion did not exist. This means that the disincentive to work the benefit expansion created kept approximately 4 million Americans out of a job during the slowest economic recovery in modern history.

The report also found that extended durations of unemployment payments have a negative impact on labor demand, as “...firms would expect to bargain with workers entitled to high benefits at all future dates.”

Democrats are pushing to revive the CARES Act’s temporary $600-per-week federal pandemic unemployment compensation (FPUC) benefit. Before the FPUC expired in July, it created a situation in which 68 percent of Americans got paid more on unemployment than in the workplace.

The subsidy of welfare over work will have lasting impacts on the economy that will only worsen if brought back. A recent study conducted by the Heritage Foundation found that the FPUC will reduce GDP by between $955 billion and $1.49 trillion.

The economy is recovering strongly from the pandemic, and several promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates are on the horizon. Since the April pandemic-low, 12.1 million jobs have been recovered as businesses continue to reopen and Americans continue getting back to work. Since October, over half of the jobs lost to the Coronavirus pandemic have now been recovered, and unemployment has fallen from a record high 14.7 percent to 6.9 percent.

While workers who have been displaced by the pandemic through no fault of their own deserve a safety net, history tells us that extending these programs will do more harm than good. As our economy continues to rebound, lawmakers must keep these facts in mind and reject policies that would prolong high unemployment rates and discourage Americans from safely re-entering the workforce.

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore

Posted by Matt Owens on Tuesday, November 24th, 2020, 11:38 AM PERMALINK

As in other states, tax collections in Texas have taken a hit due to Covid-19 and subsequent shutdowns. Texas lawmakers will be faced with the challenge of reprioritizing state spending when they convene their biennial session in January. To assist Lone Star State lawmakers in this effort, the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) has published a conservative budget plan that would limit spending growth to the rate of population plus inflation, setting a max threshold for appropriations in the next budget at $246.8 billion.

TPPF is also urging Texas lawmakers to provide property tax relief in the coming year, a goal the Americans for Tax Reform supports. Texas is one of nine no-income-tax states, yet high property tax burdens are a problem. 2021 is a great time for Texas legislators to fix that. TPPF economist Vance Ginn highlighted the excessive property tax burdens facing Texans in testimony presented to the Texas House Ways & Means Committee in September:

“Texas looks to have at least the 7th highest local property tax burden in the nation,” Ginn told lawmakers. “This is according to an effective property tax rate of 1.81% per WalletHub.com or the share of property taxes paid to owner-occupied housing value of 1.69% per the Tax Foundation. While some claim this high burden is because Texas does not have a personal income tax, the two sources above show other states with no income tax tend to have a more competitive property tax burden. Texas’s high burden is from excessive spending.”

Even though Texas has a relatively competitive state tax code (minus the state’s margins tax), local municipalities throughout Texas notoriously squeeze residents through high property taxes. The coming legislative session presents an opportunity for Governor Greg Abbott and Texas legislators to consider restructuring that relationship in order to ease property tax burdens.

TPPF’s Ginn proposes swapping the state’s patchwork of local property taxes for a uniform sales tax to fund schools.

“For the sales tax swap, we recommend replacing school M&O property taxes with final sales taxes by mostly broadening the sales tax base,” said Ginn. “In 2017, the last year for which data is available from the Texas Comptroller’s website, Texas provided an estimated $42 billion in exemptions, exclusions, and discounts to the final sales tax base, requiring a higher tax rate and higher burden on those taxed.”

The new year will be full of challenges for state lawmakers in Texas and elsewhere. But the new legislative session also presents many opportunities. In addition to balancing the budget without raising taxes in 2021, tax reform that reduces onerous property tax burdens should be a high priority for Texas legislators, as should phasing out the state margins tax.

Photo Credit: Michael Barera

Posted by Mike Palicz on Monday, November 23rd, 2020, 5:38 PM PERMALINK Follow @Mike_Palicz

The Wall Street Journal reported today that Joe Biden plans to nominate former Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen to become the next Treasury Secretary.

Yellen is a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council (CLC), an “international policy institute” lobbying Congress to pass a carbon tax “starting at $40 a ton (2017$) and increasing every year at 5% above inflation.” Yellen is also the author of a recent study commissioned by CLC, Exceeding Paris, that recommends a $43/ton carbon tax.

According to an internal report conducted by Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential Campaign, a near-identical model of CLC's carbon tax plan “would generate $219 billion a year, on average, between 2020 and 2030.” The same internal report also concluded a $42/ton carbon tax “increases gasoline prices by roughly 40 cents per gallon” and found “average household energy costs would increase by roughly $480 per year.”

Yellen: “Capitalism is beginning to run amok”

“There really is a new kind of recognition that you’ve got a society where capitalism is beginning to run amok and needs to be readjusted in order to make sure that what we’re doing is sustainable and the benefits of growth are widely shared in ways they haven’t been,” Yellen told Reuters in an October interview promoting CLC’s carbon tax plan.

Support for Carbon Adjustment Fee and Carbon Customs Unions

In the same Reuters report, Yellen expanded upon Biden’s support for a “carbon adjustment fee” on imports from countries that fail to cut emissions under the 2015 Paris climate agreement. “Our thinking is that countries with carbon pricing would form essentially clubs, or carbon customs unions, within which there would be frictionless trade,” Yellen said.

Further Support for Carbon Taxes

In an October 19 interview on Bloomberg television, Biden's Treasury pick Janet Yellen said:

"What I would recommend for the United States -- that hopefully we will in the years ahead, go in this direction -- is simply to put in place a carbon tax."

WATCH:

Biden's Own Support for a Carbon Tax

Biden endorsed a carbon tax during on CNN town hall on September 24, 2019:

CNN's Anderson Cooper asked Biden: "Would you support a carbon tax?"

Biden replied: "Yeah, no, I would."

Photo Credit: IMF

More from Americans for Tax Reform

Murkowski Puts Massive Carbon Tax “On The Table” During Event with Sheldon Whitehouse

Video: Biden “Likely” to Support a “Very High” Carbon Tax, According to Biden Advisor.

Podcast: TCI... It's a Tax!

Posted by John Kartch on Sunday, November 22nd, 2020, 11:31 AM PERMALINK Follow @JohnKartch

Joe Biden's Treasury Secretary pick wants to impose a carbon tax on the American people. Biden and Kamala Harris have also endorsed a carbon tax, an idea so radical that it was rejected by Hillary Clinton because it would devastate low income households.

In an October 19 interview on Bloomberg television, Biden's Treasury pick, Janet Yellen said:

"What I would recommend for the United States -- that hopefully we will in the years ahead, go in this direction -- is simply to put in place a carbon tax."

WATCH:

Biden endorsed a carbon tax during on CNN town hall on September 24, 2019:

CNN's Anderson Cooper asked Biden: "Would you support a carbon tax?"

Biden replied: "Yeah, no, I would."

Harris endorsed a carbon tax. "Under my plan there will also be a carbon fee," she said. CNN asked her, "How do you make sure that [companies] don't do what they will try to do, which is immediately pass that on to consumers?”

Harris replied: “That should never be the reason not to actually put a fee, in particular, a carbon fee."

Another key Biden adviser -- Jennifer Hillman -- said she expects Biden to impose a "very high" carbon tax. Hillman is reportedly in the mix for a job in the Biden administration.

A carbon tax would impose burdens on households due to higher costs of cooling and heating, transportation, and groceries.

Even Hillary Clinton in 2016 decided to oppose a carbon tax after she learned the following from an internal Clinton report prepared by policy staff:

(Source: MEMORANDUM FOR HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON -- Jan. 20, 2015)

Carbon taxes are highly unpopular with voters. In fact, carbon tax advocates can’t even get a carbon tax passed in a single blue state, as this timeline shows.

It's no wonder conservative groups wrote a letter to Congress Stating: "We oppose any carbon tax." The official Republican Party platform also rejects "any carbon tax."

Biden's carbon tax will also shatter his pledge to each and every American making less than $400,000 that he will not raise a single penny of any tax.