Earlier this week, it was the labor unions. Now, it's the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) spreading false attacks about the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. In a direct mail piece, the DLCC claims that House candidate Matt Carle, running against Nancy Garland in the 20th District, has "pledged to preserve corporate tax breaks and loopholes that encourage outsourcing," citing the ATR pledge.
This is patently untrue. To violate the Pledge, one must vote for a net tax increase – one that is a net revenue increase for government. Eliminating tax credits in a Pledge-compliant manner is easy: Cut taxes somewhere else in a way that make the overall piece of legislation at least revenue neutral.
While revenue neutral "tax reform" policies bore me somewhat (I prefer starving the government of revenue, especially in high-tax states like Ohio), they don't violate the tax pledge. What the DLCC is trying to do is distract from the fact that Matt Carle offers is a distinct alternative to incumbent Rep. Nancy Garland: a steadfast refusal to raise taxes. It's that simple.
Besides her unwillingness to promise constituents she'll oppose tax hikes, Rep. Garland has already given us a succinct preview of what a second term would look like. In 2009, she voted for Ted Strickland's $844 million income tax increase, which hit all Ohioans. While the Democrats trip over themselves to distract voters from that fact, I would encourage Ohioans to take a look at the candidates and incumbents who have pledged to put the lid on tax increases and rein in excessive government spending.
To see ATR's press release on the latest Democrat attack on the Pledge, see below. For a PDF, click here.
Ohio Democrats Spreading Lies
about the “No New Taxes” Pledge
DLCC distorts Matt Carle’s “no new taxes” promise
WASHINGTON, DC—The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, working on behalf of Ohio House Democrats, has falsely attacked State House challenger Matt Carle for signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. The Pledge is a promise to constituents to “oppose and vote against all tax increases.” But the DLCC argues that Carle has “pledged to preserve corporate tax breaks and loopholes that encourage outsourcing” in a direct mail piece. In reality, the goal of the Pledge is to protect taxpayers and businesses from tax increases, and does not prevent revenue-neutral elimination of the types tax credits the DLCC cites.
Matt Carle is challenging incumbent Rep. Nancy Garland in Ohio’s 20th House District. By signing the “No New Taxes” Pledge, he has made a written commitment to his future constituents to hold the line against tax increases like Gov. Strickland’s $844 million income tax hike in 2009. Rep. Garland voted for the Strickland income tax increase and has indicated she would do so again by refusing to take the Pledge.
Over 50 state legislative candidates have signed the Pledge in Ohio, in addition to gubernatorial candidate John Kasich and Auditor candidate Dave Yost. Additionally, Republican Congressional candidate in Ohio for the 2010 election cycle has signed the Pledge.
Similar claims about the Pledge have been made recently in Hawaii, Michigan, and Nevada. In Hawaii, FactCheck.org, a non-partisan "consumer advocate" for voters, called the attacks “blatantly false.” In Michigan, the Jackson Citizen-Patriot deemed Rep. Mark Schauer’s claims about the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and Tim Walberg to be “not true.” In Nevada, Jon Ralston of Face to Face “reality checked” the Dina Titus campaign ad and found the claims made against the “no new taxes” Pledge to be “thoroughly misleading.”
“These warmed over Democrat attacks are sad and desperate. The Pledge signed by Carle is a promise to constituents and businesses to never raise taxes. Garland has not only refused to make a similar commitment, she gave us a preview of her second term when she stood with Gov. Strickland and raised taxes on all Ohioans.” said ATR President Grover Norquist.
“Matt Carle has committed to never raising taxes on her constituents. His Democrat opponent is simply attempting to distract from what a second Nancy Garland term means for Ohio: bigger government and higher taxes,” continued Norquist.
Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose all tax increases. For more information or to arrange an interview please contact John Kartch at (202) 785-0266 or by email at [email protected].
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