West Virginia Examples of Tax Reform Good News
Thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted by congressional Republicans and President Trump, 90 percent of American wage earners have higher take-home pay. And employers of all sizes are hiring, raising pay, increasing benefits, upgrading equipment and expanding operations.
Below are several examples of tax reform good news in West Virginia. (Additions to this list can be sent to jkartch@atr.org)
Eagle Manufacturing (Wellsburg, West Virginia) – Creating new jobs and purchasing new equipment:
The company traditionally has sought to buy used equipment at low prices when replacement of machinery was necessary, according to Trimmer.
“Because of that tax break, we can invest and buy our next machines,” he said. “My department is now looking to buy a $2 million machine, rather than a 1990 classic. It will pay for itself in a short manner of time.”
Trimmer said the company is about to sign some government contracts that will put Eagle cabinets and metal products on the next generation of U.S. naval destroyers.
This could result in as many as 25 jobs being created, he said. – May 3, 2018, The Intelligencer article excerpt
Doss Enterprises (Jane Lew, West Virginia) – Hiring new employees and purchasing new equipment:
The benefits of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are evident just from looking around the Doss facility, Capito said.
“When I saw their board of (new) hires, there must have been 20 or 30 names on there, just April and May,” she said.
The company has chosen to reinvest its tax savings in its employees and into new equipment, Capito said.
“All of the employees are seeing (it) in their paychecks,” she said. “(Doss) has also bought some new equipment with his money, which is a great investment. He’s going to be hiring at least another 30 people.” – May 2, 2018, WVNews.com article excerpt
Warwood Tool (Wheeling, West Virginia) – Creating a new line of products:
The tax cuts have given the company and its customers enough optimism for the future that Warwood Tool is developing a new line of products. – May 3, 2018, The Intelligencer article excerpt
West Virginia American Water (Charleston, West Virginia) – The utility will pass tax savings on to customers:
West Virginia American Water Company announced a settlement plan last week which — if approved by the PSC — would result in an average savings of $3.77 a month for water and sewer customers in the state.
Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration (Wheeling, West Virginia) – Purchasing new trucks and equipment:
While Panhandle is often called upon for clean-up services after national disasters, Contraguerro told Jenkins the company relies on its day-to-day operations. Their employees, trucks and equipment are called to local homes and businesses each day following water-line breaks or other incidents, and Panhandle doesn’t wait for hurricanes to hit, he said.
The company plans to invest the money it receives from the tax cuts into more trucks and equipment.
“We will be reinvesting in the business,” he told Jenkins. “There is a huge benefit to reinvesting.” -- May 3, 2018, The Intelligencer article excerpt
Potomac Edison (Martinsburg, West Virginia) - The utility is passing on tax savings to customers:
‘More than 85,000 Potomac Edison customers in the Eastern Panhandle should see lower bills in the coming weeks thanks to federal tax reforms adopted in December.
The West Virginia Public Service Commission announced Friday that it approved rate reduction settlements for utility companies totaling almost $85 million annually, starting next month.
"Bottom line: starting Sept. 1, the tax reduction will lower bills for typical ... residential customers by nearly $2 per month," FirstEnergy spokesman Todd Meyers wrote in an email on Friday. FirstEnergy is the parent company of Potomac Edison.
"That means our average residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month will see their monthly (bill) fall to $108.25 from $110.22," - August 24, 2018, Herald Mail Media
Davis Trust Company (Elkins, West Virginia) - 3% across the board pay raises (on top of existing compensation structure.)
Appalachian Power Co. (Milton, West Virginia) – the utility will pass along tax reform savings to customers.
Appalachian Power Company saved $235 million dollars from the federal tax cuts and the company is proposing passing the money back to its customers in a variety of ways.
The multi-pronged proposal is in a filing with the state Public Service Commission due Wednesday. The PSC is requiring all utilities to tell it their tax cut savings and what they plan to do with it.
West Virginia Consumer Advocate Jackie Roberts told MetroNews the money clearly belongs to the customers.
“They (the utilities) had taxes in their rates and now the taxes in their rates have significantly decreased—so they shouldn’t be able to keep collecting and keeping those higher taxes in their rates,” Roberts said.
Appalachian Power Company Communications Director Jeri Matheney agrees–the $235 million Appalachian Power will save belongs to its customers.
“It is customer money. What we propose to do is provide a method to keep rates as stable as possible over the longterm and as much as possible eliminate the need for rate increases,” Matheney said.
The Appalachian Power distribution proposal for West Virginia customers includes:
–$131 million to completely offset the company’s fuel and vegetation control program funding request that was part of an April filing with the PSC
–$19 million reduction in the company’s base rate case filed earlier this month (taking the $115 million request down to $96 million)
–$51 million to reduce next year’s fuel recovery cost rate case
–$1 million for a pilot economic development grant program
–$30.1 million to return to customers over the next three years – May 30, 2018, MetroNews article excerpt
U-Haul (81 locations in West Virginia) – $1,200 bonuses for full-time employees, $500 for part-time employees.
Citizens Bank of West Virginia (Elkins, West Virginia) -- $1,000 bonuses for all 66 employees:
Citizens Bank of West Virginia issued a bonus of $1,000 to each of their 66 employees, joining a number of U.S. companies to pass along savings from the federal tax reform to its staff. The announcement was made in a surprise staff meeting by the bank’s president & chief executive officer.
“One of the best investments we can make is in our employees who are dedicated to making sure our customers have great banking experiences at Citizens,” said President & CEO Nathaniel S. Bonnell. “This $66,000 investment demonstrates our thanks and appreciation to our team for their tireless efforts and commitment to the bank.”
The bank’s board of directors said it was an easy decision to reward the dedicated and hard-working employees of Citizens Bank. “There are several ways we will put the tax savings to work for Citizens,” stated Board Chairman Max L. Armentrout. “However, we are most excited about paying this bonus to the great employees we have working at our bank, serving our customers and shareholders.”
Employee reaction was overwhelming as they were excited to have $1000 checks arrive the same day as the announcement.
“This was totally unexpected!” said Assistant Trust Officer Crystal Kimbleton as she choked back tears. “This check will definitely help with upcoming high school graduation and college expenses.”
“It’s the best day ever!” exclaimed Alec Rader, Deposit Operations Administrative Assistant. “One thousand dollars, a pizza luncheon – this is not how I was expecting this day to go; what a great surprise!”
Head Teller Amanda Riffle stated she was totally speechless and shocked. “This money is going to go a long way in helping me pay down my college loan. It’s greatly appreciated!”
“I’m so grateful and it’s so amazing!” stated teary-eyed Mortgage Loan Processor Anita Jones. “I am going home to Indonesia this summer and this money will help tremendously with the cost of that trip!” Anita has not been home in nine years.
Lisa Plum, Deposit Operations Administrative Assistant II, says the employees of Citizens couldn’t ask to work for a better organization. “This was just wonderful news. I’m now going to be able to take a vacation this year that was not going to happen. We are so fortunate to work for a bank that cares so much for their employees.”
The overall sentiment of the employees throughout the bank was shock and gratitude. – Feb. 2018 Citizens Bank of West Virginia statement
Walmart – West Virginians employed at 43 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.
AT&T -- $1,000 bonuses to 880 West Virginia employees; Nationwide, $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
Home Depot - Six locations in West Virginia, bonuses for all hourly employees, up to $1,000.
Lowe's -- 2,000 employees at 18 stores in West Virginia. Employees will receive bonuses of up to $1,000 based on length of service; expanded benefits and maternity/paternal leave; $5,000 of adoption assistance.
Ryder (Three locations in West Virginia) -- Tax reform bonuses for employees.
Starbucks Coffee Company (25 locations in West Virginia) – $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 – Four stores in West Virginia – 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
Cintas (Multiple locations in West Virginia) -- $1,000 bonuses for employees of at least a year, $500 for employees of less than a year.
Chipotle Mexican Grill (Multiple locations in West Virginia) - Bonuses ranging from $250 to $1,000; increased employee benefits; nationally, $50 million investment in existing restaurants.
Comcast (Multiple locations in West Virginia) -- $1,000 bonuses; nationally, at least $50 billion investment in infrastructure in next five years.
FedEx (Multiple locations in West Virginia) – 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
McDonald’s (101 locations in West Virginia) – 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
Note: If you know of other West Virginia examples, please email John Kartch at jkartch@atr.org
The running nationwide list of companies can be found at www.atr.org/list
More from Americans for Tax Reform
New Study Confirms the Obvious: PFC Hike Would Raise Airline Ticket Prices.
Last week, Congress released a new study on airport infrastructure funding. The study in part focuses on the impact of the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) – a government-imposed fee collected from enplaned passengers at commercial airports controlled by local and state governments. Revenue earned through the PFC program is used to fund airport improvement projects and is currently capped at $4.50 per enplanement at a maximum of $18 per round trip.
The study comes as Congress is expected to consider raising the PFC in the coming weeks. As taxes and fees already account for over 20% of the cost of a domestic airline ticket, Congress should be focused on reducing this burden placed upon consumers rather than adding to it. Americans for Tax Reform has continuously opposed efforts to raise the PFC and urges lawmakers to reject any effort to raise the cap on the PFC.
Key findings from the study:
- Raising the PFC cap will increase ticket prices for airline travelers - The study concludes that “an increase in the PFC cap would likely result in higher ticket prices for passengers traveling through airports that raised their PFC collections.” This finding is in line with a past study conducted by the Government Accountability Office which also concluded raising the PFC cap would increases ticket prices, causing “reduced passenger demand” that “could also marginally slow passenger growth and therefore the growth in revenues to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF).”
- Inflation is an invalid argument to raise the PFC – The authors of the study note that although inflation has caused the purchasing power of a dollar of PFC revenues to erode, aggregate PFC revenues have grown to outpace inflation. Here is the finding straight from the report:
“It is important to note that increases in the number of airports that charge a PFC, the number of airports that charge the maximum allowable PFC of $4.50, and the number of passengers at these airports have resulted in the inflation-adjusted value of total PFC collections increasing over time despite declines in the value of a single passenger’s PFC.”
Translation: airports collectively have greater purchasing power from their total PFC collections in 2018 than they did in 2000, the last time the PFC cap was raised.
- No evidence the PFC promotes competition between airlines – Proponents of raising the PFC cap often claim a higher PFC would promote competition between airlines as projects funded from PFC revenues don’t require the same sign-off from airlines that alternative funding sources necessitate, thus handing more control over airport expansion decisions back to airports. Airports, the argument goes, would then be less beholden to large airlines benefiting from restrictive leases of gates and other essential facilities.
However, it remains unclear that there is any data backing up this pro-competition assertion from those advocating for a PFC hike. The authors of the study point out that they are “not aware of any analysis that estimates the effect of PFCs on competition or prices at airports or city markets.”
In fact, reality has proven the PFC to have the opposite effect, adding an additional barrier for smaller airline companies who operate under an ultra-low-cost business model. These smaller airlines have the most price-sensitive customers with a high demand-elasticity in reaction to price-increases. Higher ticket fees hit them hardest. This explains why ultra-low-cost carriers such as Spirit Airlines have testified in Congress against raising the PFC.
This argument against raising the PFC is only bolstered by the fact that the study’s authors concluded their analysis “cannot determine whether an individual PFC project affects competition and prices.” However, the study did find that “any effects of individual PFC projects are, on average, small relative to other factors, such as local economic conditions and airline hubbing decisions,” and that “no single PFC project is likely to significantly alter the competitive landscape in an individual market.” While PFC funded projects are unlikely to alter competition, the higher ticket prices caused by fee hikes will disproportionately impact smaller airlines, thus damaging competition between airline companies.
Despite these findings, the authors of study recommend raising the PFC and do so with no compelling reason offered.
While recommending that the PFC cap be raised from $4.50 per enplanement to $7.44 for passengers – a staggering 65% fee hike – the authors state, “We are not aware of compelling evidence or data justifying a particular level for a new cap. Any number could be chosen, but we note that if the $4.50 cap had been indexed to inflation in 2000 using the Producer Price Index for construction materials, it would now be set at $7.44.”
Despite completely debunking the inflation argument in their own study (as outlined above in key findings) the authors almost comically conclude that the PFC should be raised anyway. Rather than laying out a case justifying such a drastic fee hike for American travels, the authors just throw their hands in the air and highlight that this is what the cap would be had Congress initially pegged the PFC to inflation, which lawmakers at the time deliberately chose not to do.
Americans for Tax Reform urges lawmakers to reject this recommendation from the authors of the study and to protect American travelers and consumers from inflated ticket prices resulting from even more government taxes and fees. After all, as the authors themselves states, there is no “compelling evidence or data” justifying a hike to the PFC.
Photo Credit: Eric Salard
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Podcast: How Big City Transit Messes Get Passed to All Taxpayers
Heritage Foundation's David Ditch joins the podcast to discuss the boondoggles & union giveaways driving up mass transit project costs - and why all American taxpayers need to pay attention.
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MI Task Force Recommendations Offer Promise for Overcrowded, Costly Jails
The Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration released long-awaited recommendations last week to reform the state’s overcrowded jails. Michigan’s jail populations have rapidly gone up, a sign of a system that is not delivering the public safety, justice, and efficiency that people deserve.
In 2017, taxpayers spent an estimated $478 million on county jails. It’s not just that high costs are unaffordable for taxpayers, but they are a warning sign that too many people are being jailed, often for bad reasons, and reform is needed.
The data-driven recommendations from the Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration offer an extensive set of reforms needed to create the more efficient, effective, and affordable jails that Michigan communities deserve.
The reforms include:
Ending the practice of suspending driver’s licenses for offenses that aren’t related to safe driving, like owed court debt. Driving without a valid license was the third most common reason for admissions to a correctional facility. Reform in this area would mean people can get to work to pay their fines, and don’t rack up criminal charges and lose the ability to hold a job because of a lack of means.
Decriminalizing low-level traffic misdemeanors. Low level offenses that currently entangle people in the criminal system that pose no risk to the community can be better handled by traffic courts.
Taking into account one’s ability to pay when imposing fines. Fines are meant to be a punishment first, not a revenue raising tool. It makes sense to limit the amount of fines to something an offender can reasonably be expected to pay. Imposing an exorbitant fine that an offender can never reasonably pay ties them to the criminal justice system in perpetuity as they deal with
Diversion for behavioral, mental health issues. With addiction driving so many people into jails, diversion that gets people with mental health and addiction issues into programs that can help is a needed reform.
More alternatives to arrest for police officers. Allowing officers to use appearance tickets when arrest and jail are not warranted for the suspected crime is a smart step that empowers police, and avoids pulling people into the jail system unnecessarily.
Caps on jail time for technical parole violations. The possibility of being jailed is important to incentivize people who are on parole to keep up with their obligations. However, that should be weighed against the unintended consequences (losing a job for instance) for otherwise well-behaved parolees.
Defendants must be tried within 18 months of arrest. Ensuring the justice system delivers speedy trials and people are not left in jail for extended periods of time is a win for liberty and safety. Extended jail time can make people more likely to commit future crimes.
Improved data collection. It is vital taxpayers know what is happening in the criminal justice system. Better data collection accomplishes this, and it is also critical to tracking the impact of reforms. If something is not working as anticipated, citizens and legislators should know quickly, and be able to act with confidence.
There are a couple areas that are left to counties that will be important for the counties to implement in the right way. The task force recommends bail reform, with release unless the court determines that a defendant poses a risk to the community, themselves, a flight risk, or has committed certain crimes (violent or against children). Counties will have to ensure effective risk assessment fills in where reliance on cash bail is reduced to ensure public safety is not put at risk.
Michigan residents have every reason to be excited about the task force recommendations. Now, the road to reform turns toward hammering out legislation. ATR looks forward to working with the legislature to ensure the best version of these proposals becomes law.
Photo Credit: Livingston County, MI
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PA Legislators Look to Protect Taxpayers from Reckless Spending
It’s not rocket science, spending drives demand for tax hikes, and the ability to raise taxes fuels spending.
Focusing on the spending side of the ledger, legislators in Pennsylvania have proposed the Taxpayer Protection Act (Senate Bill 116/ House Bill 1316). The bill, sponsored by Senator Camera Bartolotta and Representative Ryan Warner, would limit overall spending increases to the rate of inflation, plus population growth. A supermajority vote could override the limit.
Revenues that come in above the spending cap would first go into the state’s shallow rainy day fund. The state will also need to thoroughly review state programs to ensure spending growth is kept within the TPA index.
This is a great, pro-taxpayer measure for any state, but is especially necessary for Pennsylvania.
The Keystone State has seen its population stagnate, and even shrink in some recent years – losing 260,000 residents in 2016. The state and local tax burden costs residents $4,589 per year. While that is more competitive than some of its eastern neighbors, taxes are still driving people away.
This trend of leaving the state is especially prevalent amongst people aged 20-35. The Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office reported that 47,000 people in this age bracket with at least an associate’s degree left the state in 2015.
The good news is that from 2012 to 2017 Pennsylvania’s spending declined relative to state GDP, dropping nearly 20% by that metric, fifth most in the nation. Republican legislators having control of the state purse strings is largely why. Democrat Governor Tom Wolf has certainly pushed for his fair share of bad tax and fiscal policy since taking office in 2015.
Passing the Taxpayer Protection Act now would go a long way to preserving this progress on spending restraint, limiting the ability of future legislatures to waste the public’s money.
Spending restraint is also broadly popular, Republicans, Democrats and independents each reported at least 67% support for the measure, according to Susquehanna Polling & Research.
Now is the perfect time to get the Taxpayer Protection Act done.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Buttigieg Lies About Trump Tax Cuts on MSNBC
Pete Buttigieg lied about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act during an interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Wednesday, claiming that its benefits only go to the wealthy and corporations.
"As far as I can tell, the only promise that [Trump] has kept when it comes to economic policy was a giant tax cut for corporations and the wealthy," Buttigieg said.
Buttigieg is wrong, and if he and the Democrats repeal the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the following would happen:
- A family of four earning the median income of $73,000 would see a $2,000 tax increase.
- A single parent (with one child) making $41,000 would see a $1,300 tax increase.
- Millions of low and middle-income households would be stuck paying the Obamacare individual mandate tax.
- Utility bills would go up in all 50 states as a direct result of the corporate income tax increase.
- Small employers will face a tax increase due to the repeal of the 20% deduction for small business income.
- The USA would have the highest corporate income tax rate in the developed world, higher than the United Kingdom (19 percent), China (25 percent), Canada (26.8 percent), and Ireland (12.5 percent).
- Taxes would rise in every state and every congressional district.
- The Death Tax would ensnare more families and businesses.
- The AMT would snap back to hit millions of households.
- Millions of households would see their child tax credit cut in half.
- Millions of households would see their standard deduction cut in half, adding to their tax complexity as they are forced to itemize their deductions and deal with the shoebox full of receipts on top of the refrigerator.
In Indiana, where Buttigieg is the mayor of South Bend, households who made the state average income of $55,476, received a tax cut of around $1,438.51, according to a recent Tax Foundation report.
Even left-leaning and establishment media outlets confirm the good news arising from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
- The New York Times flatly stated: "Most people got a tax cut."
- The Washington Post stated: “Most Americans received a tax cut.”
- CNN's Jake Tapper did his own fact check and concluded: "The facts are, most Americans got a tax cut."
- CNN's Jake Tapper also stated: "In fact, estimates from both sides of the political spectrum show that the majority of people in the United States of America did receive a tax cut."
- FactCheck.org stated: "Most people got some kind of tax cut in 2018 as a result of the law."
- FactCheck.org also stated: "The vast majority (82 percent) of middle-income earners — those with income between about $49,000 and $86,000 — received a tax cut that averaged about $1,050.
Buttigieg has also called for a full repeal of the TCJA as part of his "infrastructure" proposal.
If you want to stay up-to-date on threats to raise your taxes, visit www.atr.org/HighTaxDems.
Buttigieg Calls for “Wholesale” Rollback of Trump Tax Cuts
Pete Buttigieg called for a “wholesale” rollback of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act with a “special focus” on the corporate tax during an interview with the New York Times editorial board.
Here’s the key exchange:
NYT editorial board member: On raising taxes, what are your proposals?
Pete Buttigieg: “So a financial transactions tax, rollback wholesale of the Trump tax cuts with a special focus on what’s going on in the corporate-rate tax cut. Close the 199A loophole, deal with some of the enforcement deficiencies that are driving the big part of the revenue gap right now I think. I’m also open to a wealth tax. I just would not put my signature proposal in a position of being completely dependent on a tax that is constitutionally untested.”
Pete Buttigieg first called on repealing the TCJA as part of his “infrastructure” plan, which according to CNBC, would repeal the entire tax cut.
“His campaign said the plan will be paid for by reforming the capital gains tax and repealing the 2017 GOP tax overhaul, reforms that had been previously disclosed. The campaign will also raise the estate tax, with a top rate of 65% for billionaires,” CNBC reported.
Buttigieg’s promise to repeal the tax cuts is a promise to raise taxes. If the tax cuts were repealed:
-
A family of four earning the median income of $73,000 would see a $2,000 tax increase.
-
A single parent (with one child) making $41,000 would see a $1,300 tax increase.
-
Millions of low and middle-income households would be stuck paying the Obamacare individual mandate tax.
-
Utility bills would go up in all 50 states as a direct result of the corporate income tax increase.
-
Small employers will face a tax increase due to the repeal of the 20% deduction for small business income.
-
The USA would have the highest corporate income tax rate in the developed world, higher than the United Kingdom (19 percent), China (25 percent), Canada (26.8 percent), and Ireland (12.5 percent).
-
Taxes would rise in every state and every congressional district.
-
The Death Tax would ensnare more families and businesses.
-
The AMT would snap back to hit millions of households.
-
Millions of households would see their child tax credit cut in half.
-
Millions of households would see their standard deduction cut in half, adding to their tax complexity as they are forced to itemize their deductions and deal with the shoebox full of receipts on top of the refrigerator.
In Indiana, where Buttigieg is the mayor of South Bend, households who made the state average income of $55,476, received a tax cut of around $1,438.51, according to a recent Tax Foundation report.
Even left-leaning and establishment media outlets confirm the good news arising from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
-
The New York Times flatly stated: "Most people got a tax cut."
-
The Washington Post stated: “Most Americans received a tax cut.”
-
CNN's Jake Tapper did his own fact check and concluded: "The facts are, most Americans got a tax cut."
-
CNN's Jake Tapper also stated: "In fact, estimates from both sides of the political spectrum show that the majority of people in the United States of America did receive a tax cut."
-
FactCheck.org stated: "Most people got some kind of tax cut in 2018 as a result of the law."
-
FactCheck.org also stated: "The vast majority (82 percent) of middle-income earners — those with income between about $49,000 and $86,000 — received a tax cut that averaged about $1,050.
If you want to stay up-to-date on their threats to raise taxes, visit www.atr.org/HighTaxDems.
See more:
Buttigieg Would Repeal the Entire Trump Tax Cut
Warren Dodges Private Healthcare Question Three Times During Morning Joe Interview
Biden: “Get Rid of the Trump Tax Cut”
Pete Buttigieg: “We Gotta Roll Back the Trump Tax Cuts for Corporations”
Biden: “Anybody Who Can Throw Coal Into a Furnace Can Learn How To Program”
Warren Contradicts Herself on Medicare for All, Again
Mayor Pete’s “Carbon Tax and Dividend” Will Raise Taxes on Social Security Recipients
Booker Praises Opportunity Zones While Planning to Repeal TCJA Which Created Them
Sanders: “Of Course” Medicare for All Will Cost You Something
Despite Steep Tax Hikes, Biden’s Numbers Don’t Add Up
Biden: Capital Gains Tax Rate “Could Go Higher” Than 40%
Biden on Medicare for All: “You’re Going to Have to Raise Taxes on the Middle Class”
Sanders Senior Adviser: “Yes, We Will Repeal the Trump Tax Scam”
Bloomberg Endorsed a Carbon Tax
Biden to Sanders and Warren: “Let’s Get Realistic” on Trillion Dollar Spending Plans
Booker: I Would Raise the Capital Gains Tax Rate
List of Buttigieg Tax Hike Proposals
2020 Dems: Warren's Medicare for All Will Raise Middle Class Taxes
Warren: Medicare for All Covers Illegal Immigrants
Elizabeth Warren Contradicts Herself on Taxes, Again
Biden: Imagine if I Told Elizabeth Warren ‘You Should Be In a Socialist Primary’
CNN Catches Warren in a Tax Lie
Bernie Sanders: Warren’s Medicare for All Plan Would Have “Very Negative Impact” on Jobs and Wages
Warren’s “Medicare for All” Repeals Trump Tax Cuts
Biden: Warren is "Making it Up" on How She'll Pay for Medicare For All
Biden: “It’s Impossible to pay for Medicare for All without middle class tax increases”
Biden Slams Medicare for All: “It’s Totally Unrealistic and Can’t be Done”
Warren: Two Million Lost Jobs from Medicare for All “Part of the Cost Issue”
Video Showing Every Time Elizabeth Warren Has Dodged the Middle Class Tax Question
Out of touch Biden calls Trump’s $2,000 middle class tax cut “negligible”
Biden Calls for 28% Corporate Tax Rate
Biden: “Every Single Solitary Person” Will Pay 40% Capital Gains Tax
Warren Dodges the Middle Class Tax Question Again
Buttigieg Says He Will Raise Corporate Tax Rate to 35%
Watch: CNN Analyst Gets Visibly Irritated as Warren Dodges Tax Hike Question
Andrew Yang to Elizabeth Warren: Wealth Tax Would Have “Massive Implementation Problems”
Biden on Warren Dodging Middle Class Tax Question: “This is Ridiculous. Absolutely Ridiculous.”
Buttigieg Grills Warren for Dodging the Middle Class Tax Question
Biden: I Will Raise the Capital Gains Tax to 39.5%
Elizabeth Warren Can’t Stop Dodging the Middle Class Tax Question
VIDEO: 17 Times Elizabeth Warren Has Dodged the Middle Class Tax Question
VIDEO: Warren Keeps Dodging the Middle Class Tax Question
Biden: “I’m Gonna Double the Capital Gains Rate to 40%”
Tax Hike Bernie Says He’ll Tax All Income Over $29K
Video: Warren Dodges Middle Class Tax Question Again
Biden Calls for Full Repeal of Trump Tax Cuts
Biden Attacks Warren: "She's Going to Raise People's Taxes”
Video: Media Fed Up with Elizabeth Warren Tax Dodge
Biden: End "Trump's Tax Cut for The Top Tenth of One Percent"
Booker: “My plan would reverse those toxic Trump tax cuts”
Stephen Colbert Calls Out Warren for Dodging Middle Class Tax Question
Video: Warren Dodges MSNBC’s Middle Class Tax Questions
Elizabeth Warren is Still Dodging the Middle Class Tax Question
Video: 2020 Democrats Promise Higher Taxes
Biden Caught Lying about GOP Tax Cuts
Bill De Blasio: “As President, I Would Issue a Robot Tax”
Kamala Harris Calls for Ban on Plastic Straws
Elizabeth Warren's Climate Plan Calls For "Reversing" GOP Tax Cuts
Sanders: We’re Going to “Absolutely” Raise the Corporate Tax Rate
Elizabeth Warren on Corporate Tax Cuts: “I really want to see them rolled back.”
Bill de Blasio Calls for Corporate Tax Rate Hike
Amy Klobuchar: Raise the Corporate Tax Rate to 25%
Biden on capital gains tax: “We should raise the tax back to 39.6 percent”
Kamala Harris Threatens to Repeal GOP Tax Cuts 3 Times in August
Joe Biden: “I’m going to eliminate most all” of GOP Tax Cuts
Cory Booker Calls for Repeal of "Toxic" GOP Tax Cuts
Marianne Williamson Joins Dems Calling for TCJA Repeal
Kamala Admits Her Plan Would End Employer Insurance
“Medicare for All” is a Middle Class Tax Increase, Say Dems
Elizabeth Warren Can’t Dodge the Middle Class Tax Question Forever
Dem Socialized Healthcare Plan Will Lead to Middle Class Tax Hikes
Supposed “Moderate” Democrat John Delaney Wants to Impose Carbon Tax on the American People
Klobuchar Suggests Capital Gains Tax Hike and “Doing Something” About TCJA
VIDEO: 2020 Democrats Will Raise Your Taxes
Kamala Harris Campaign Headquarters Located in Opportunity Zone Created by GOP Tax Cuts
Julian Castro: “We’re going to have to raise taxes.”
Biden and Harris: Raise the Corporate Tax Rate
Biden tweet: Ignore the fact I’ve already called for middle class tax hikes
Kamala Harris: “I Will Reverse” Trump’s Tax Cuts
Kamala Harris Calls for Repeal of Tax Cuts Four Times in Three Minutes
Julian Castro Caught Lying about GOP Tax Cuts
NYT: Bidencare Will be Funded by “rolling back” GOP tax cuts
Kamala Harris: I Will Repeal “That Tax Bill”
Cory Booker: “I do support” Imposing Carbon Tax on Americans
Harris: “We are Going to Repeal That Tax Bill”
Biden: I Will Raise Corporate Tax Rate to 28%
Kamala Harris Continues to Lie about Tax Cuts
Jay Inslee: “Repeal the Trump Tax Cuts”
Biden Running Ads to “Repeal Trump’s Tax Cuts.”
VIDEO: Ten Times Biden Threatened to Repeal Tax Cuts
Here’s what happens if Dems repeal tax cuts
VIDEO: 10 Times 2020 Democrats Have Threatened to Repeal TCJA
Kamala Harris: When I Enter Office "I Will Repeal" the TCJA
Biden: “First thing I would do as President is Eliminate the President’s Tax Cut.”
Bernie Sanders claims people would be “delighted to pay more in taxes”
Biden: Tax Cuts Will be “Gone” If I’m Elected
Kamala Harris: I Will Repeal Tax Cuts “on day one”
Biden again says capital gains tax is “Much too Low”
Biden: Capital gains tax “much too low”
VIDEO: Five Times Biden has Threatened to Repeal Tax Cuts
Biden: “First thing I’d do is repeal those Trump tax cuts.”
Joe Biden broke his middle class tax pledge
“Mayor Pete” Calls for Steep Tax Hike on Homes and Businesses
Kamala Harris Vows Repeal of Tax Cuts “on Day One”
Biden: “When I’m President, if God willing I am, we’re going to reverse those Trump tax cuts.”
Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Arizona Supreme Court Could Find New Phoenix Uber/Lyft Airport Tax Unconstitutional
Phoenix’s onerous airport ride-sharing fee increase could soon be overturned by the Arizona Supreme Court.
State Representative Nancy Barto (R-Phoenix) asked Attorney General Mark Brnovich (R) to see if it violates a provision of the state Constitution – which was put in place by voters in 2018 – that prohibits both new and increased taxes on service. "It [the new airport ride-sharing fee increase] is such a blatant disregard of the will of Arizona voters who passed Prop. 126 in 2018," said Barto.
General Brnovich wants the court to issue a decision on the constitutionality of this Uber and Lyft fee increase. “Our office will promptly file a special action with the Arizona Supreme Court to strike down Phoenix’s unconstitutional rideshare fee and prevent the ordinance from taking effect,” tweeted General Brnovich.
“This is going to be a long-running fight with greedy politicians who want to tax transportation and take advantage of a monopoly – in this case access to an airport – to raise taxes. The attorney general did the right thing in noting this was unconstitutional. Every state should have constitutional protections against these abuses, but until then we are going to have to be vigilant and fight these tax hikes one after the other. They are coming to an airport near you,” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.
The airport ride-sharing fee increase to $4 – a rate that is among the highest in the country – for both pickups and drop-offs at Sky Harbor International Airport is set to take place on February 1 of this year. Adding insult to injury, the fee will increase by 25 cents per year until it reaches $5 in 2024. Under previous law, the airport ride-sharing fee was $2.66 and charged only on pick-ups.
The fee increase was imposed last month by a 7-2 vote of the Phoenix City Council, despite Uber and Lyft saying it would cause them to end their airport services. Councilman Jim Warring and Councilman Sal DiCiccio were the two no votes.
Grover Norquist On California's Latest Attempt to Raise Taxes
ATR president Grover Norquist joined Connell McShane on Fox Business Network's After the Bell to discuss California latest tax hike attempt, which could lead to the nation's highest state corporate income tax rate.
The bill would increase taxes on companies that post at least $10 million of taxable income. The size of the tax increase would be proportional to the pay gap between the CEO and employees. The larger the gap, the larger the tax increase.
Norquist responded:
"It's a massive tax increase. California has an 8.8 percent corporate income tax on top of the 21 percent national, federal tax. They want to take that up to 11 to 15 percent. So it's a massive tax increase to start with. But then they go, "Oh, but we'll hit you even more if you don't pay people the way we want you to."
Boards of Directors are responsible and shareholders are responsible for firing any CEO who overpays himself or herself. It shouldn't be the government's decision to tell you. Sometimes, somebody who's a CEO can be worth a lot of money, sometimes not... If you want to be in the business of setting pay, vote as a shareholder, work in the business of owning part of the company. The people who should care are the people who own it. They don't want to waste money. They don't want to waste millions of dollars on a CEO that's not any good."
California's brutal tax and regulatory environment continues to drive people and companies out of the state. State politicians don't seem to know or care.
ATR Signs Coalition Letter Urging the SEC to Pause the CAT
Americans for Tax Reform signed a coalition letter led by Heritage Action for America encouraging the Securities and Exchange Commission to refrain from implementing the Consolidated Audit Trail.
The CAT National Market System is a database established after the 2010 “Flash Crash”, when the SEC began requiring broker-dealers, trading venues and stock exchanges to report all securities transactions and customer information to a single database this year. The CAT is a Delaware company jointly owned by broker-dealers on a co-equal basis, with the SEC, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and 23 additional self-regulatory agencies having authority to access the database. The Heritage Foundation’s David Burton notes that as many as 3,000 regulatory users may be able to access the database.
ATR joined the coalition letter as we share the concerns of members of Congress, current SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, and organizations representing private businesses and everyday investors who fear the collection of personal identifiable information leaves the CAT a ripe target for cyber theft, and does little to stamp out fraud within the financial markets.
Additionally, if the CAT is breached by nefarious actors there is little recourse for consumers in terms of who or what entity bears the financial burden of making consumers and companies whole. Without additional consideration of electronic breaches, it could be the consumer or taxpayers who are left picking up the tab.
Photo Credit: Scott S
Pete Buttigieg Confuses Marijuana With Nicotine and Signals He'd Impose Harsher Regulations on Vaping
In Iowa this week, Democrat Pete Buttigieg signaled that if elected, he would place tighter regulations on the nicotine vapor industry, stating that “the burden has to be” on the vapor industry to prove that e-cigarettes and nicotine vapor products are safe, during a town hall in Winterset, Iowa on Monday. He went on to mischaracterize the value and intended purpose of products that are specifically flavored in nature and to blame nicotine products for recent vaping-related illnesses.
Here’s the key exchange:
Voter: “So, in 2019, more than 27% of high school students used an e-cigarette. How would you address this epidemic as it pertains to youth and young people?”
Buttigieg: “So, what we are seeing is e-cigarettes being marketed and sold to young people despite companies telling us otherwise. The way this was marketed and sold to the country is that it can be used for harm reduction. It can get people off smoking combustion cigarettes and into something that might be less dangerous than cigarettes. But that doesn't make them safe in their own right, and that doesn't answer why you would target them for people who aren't smokers at all. And I believe the burden has to be on these companies to demonstrate that they are not causing harm rather than on regulators to demonstrate that they are.
This means taking action on these flavored e-cigarette products that are clearly targeted towards children and making sure that we have a much higher bar for them demonstrating that they're not causing harm because we're seeing all these horrifying cases of people coming to harm because they use this product.
And it is why, whether its specific to e-cigarettes or whether its more generally when it comes to the way that we regulate food and drug and other products in this country that we have regulators who actually believe in protecting consumers rather than being beholden to those whose profits are at stake."
Not only does Buttigieg signal that he would impose rules more onerous than those recently implemented by the Trump administration, but he refused to acknowledge the harm reduction potential of a vast majority of vapor products that adults use to quit smoking which are in fact flavored.
Without evidence or context he asserted that e-cigarettes have caused harm to consumers. In fact, Mayor Pete seemed to purposely confuse the harm being inflicted on consumers by black market and illicit THC marijuana products, which have been identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the culprit behind the recent vaping illnesses. Those THC products are generally already illegal in all instances, as opposed to legal nicotine vaping products available in convenience stores, vape shops, and other retail outlets.
Buttigieg’s comments come less than a week after Elizabeth Warren signaled that she would crack down on legal nicotine vaping if elected and on the heels of Joe Biden also suggesting that he would “eliminate” vaping if elected.
“I don't care what it does to a small business person who's selling this stuff. If it is damaging lungs, if it's causing the kind of damage that is said and that studies not been fully done yet. If it turns out that it is that I would eliminate it,” Biden said.
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