Americans for Prosperity Foundation
Published: 03-03-08
SPRINGFIELD – Senator Barack Obama’s messages about his tax plan’s fairness and support of working families is anything but when his Illinois General Assembly record is closely examined said Americans for Prosperity-Illinois Director Joe Calomino in a statement today:
“By taking aim at businesses with tax hikes removing tax incentives for research and keeping Illinois companies from taking advantage of the federal depreciation schedule in the tax code Sen. Obama’s votes hurt employees far more than employers. Such dangerous policies would have pulled money directly out of the pockets he now claims to respect – those of the working families in Illinois.
Sen. Obama does not seem to understand that businesses don’t pay taxes they only collect them. The hard-working people of Illinois are the ones who are truly on the hook for the costs of the tax hikes Sen. Obama supported in the General Assembly whether through lost jobs reduced pay or higher consumer prices.
“In 2003 Sen. Obama voted to raise the sales taxes on consumers by $59 million dollars reinstate the state death tax that would have given grieving families a $45 million bill for new taxes and force family farmers to shoulder $74 million in new higher taxes.
“He didn’t stop there. Sen. Obama also sought to tax life insurance so many families rely in Illinois in an attempt to raise $9 million for the state. Not even bankruptcy cases were sacred as he hoped to get an additional $4 million by taxing them at a time when people and small businesses need the most possible help. Sen. Obama wanted to go so far as to strip the rights of business owners to appeal unfair property tax valuations.
“By encouraging such anti-business tax policies in Chicago and Illinois while serving in the state legislature Sen. Obama made neighboring cities and states more attractive to employers and employees who could benefit from higher wages. If Sen. Obama is serious about helping working families renouncing his tax hike record would be the first step in making a real difference.”
Americans for Prosperity-Texas Director Peggy Venable added:
“With the upcoming primary many Texas voters will be interested to learn these highlights of Sen. Obama’s record that could be indicators of our economic future and what constraints he may put on small business owners should he win the primary and go on to win the November election.
“Maybe this will help our own State Senator Kirk Watson a supporter of Sen. Obama understand the legislative agenda that many Texas voters don’t agree with a little more clearly than he did recently on MSNBC with Chris Matthews.”
