GOP chair, candidate comment on Democratic tax plan

A statement was released via email shortly after four o'clock this afternoon by Republican Party of Iowa chairman Matt Strawn regarding the Democrats' tax plan, unveiled this morning. Likely 2010 GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats also released a statement.  Read both below.

DEMOCRAT PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE FEDERAL DEDUCTIBILITY WILL CRIPPLE IOWA ECONOMY

Des Moines, IA. – Iowa GOP State Chairman Matt Strawn today warned of impending economic peril if Democrat plans to eliminate federal deductibility become law.  Strawn said, “This isn’t partisan rhetoric, it is simple fact. Elimination of federal deductibility is a huge tax increase on those very Iowans who start businesses and create jobs – the very people on whom our state’s economic recovery rests.

“Majority Democrats share Governor Culver’s basic inability to understand who actually creates jobs in this state.  Jobs are created by entrepreneurs, investors, and those willing to risk their own capital.  The Democrats’ plan to eliminate federal deductibility will raise state income taxes by nearly 7% on tens of thousands of these very people.”

VANDER PLAATS STATEMENT ON DEMOCRATS’ PLAN TO ELIMINATE FEDERAL DEDUCTIBILITY FROM STATE TAX RETURNS

SIOUX CITY – Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats issued the following statement today in response to legislative Democrats’ proposal to eliminate Iowans’ right and ability to deduct federal taxes from their state tax returns:

“The Democrats’ plan to get rid of federal deductibility has nothing to do with reform and everything to do with generating more revenue to fuel their overspending. They talk about it being ‘revenue neutral’ but the fact remains that Iowans aren’t going to be treated equally.  Instead, the Democrats are intent on picking winners and losers – and, in the end, Iowa is going to be a loser because we’re going to see more and more successful individuals, businesses and industries leave our state.

“Their own description of the plan tells a familiar story.  They talk about ‘redistributing’ wealth from the rich to the middle-income and low-income but what happens time and time again is that they set out to soak the rich and a lot of taxpayers who aren’t so rich also get soaked, too.  Their claim of a middle-class tax cut just over the horizon is one more political promise bound to be broken.

“This plan is nothing more than an attempt to grab more of Iowans’ money at the time they can least afford it.  It’s wrong and we need a governor who will stand up against it to stop this madness.”