On Inside City Hall last night, Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney debated GOP Congressman Michael Grimm over taxes and the budget, and while Ms. Maloney contended the current tax system unfairly benefits the wealthy, Mr. Grimm agreed the system is unfair, but went in the opposite direction, saying, “47% of Americans don’t pay any federal taxes. To me, that’s unfair.” He added later that the tax system needs to “broaden the base” to help address the country’s revenue problem.
“The top 1% already pay 40% of all federal taxes, the top 10% pay already pay two thirds,” Mr. Grimm explained, contending efforts to raise taxes on the rich constitutes class warfare. “That’s more than any other industrialized nation in the world. So to say they’re not paying their fair share is just not true.”
In a statement today, however, Mr. Grimm’s Democratic opponent, Mark Murphy, took issue with Mr. Grimm’s tax plan, suggesting the Staten Island Republican is more interested in the economic well-being of “people who buy $1,000 bottles of champagne and lap dances at Scores” than hardworking New Yorkers.
“Michael Grimm has made his position clear: he wants to raise taxes on working people who currently pay a low rate or earn too little to pay income taxes,” Mr. Murphy said. “That’s what he means when he talks in code with words like ‘broaden the tax base.'”
He went on to argue Mr. Grimm’s priorities are simply in the wrong place.
“Michael Grimm wants to raise taxes on every day New Yorkers who work for a living and give tax breaks to people who buy $1,000 bottles of champagne and lap dances at Scores. I’ve got news for you Michael – they don’t need our help. The middle class does.”
Read his full statement below:
Michael Grimm has made his position clear: he wants to raise taxes on working people who currently pay a low rate or earn too little to pay income taxes. That’s what he means when he talks in code with words like “broaden the tax base.”
It is remarkable that he believes New Yorkers who work for a living don’t pay enough taxes. They are paying into Social Security and Medicare in addition to local and state taxes and sales tax. They are spending close to 100% of what’s left on food, clothing and shelter for themselves and their families.
Michael Grimm wants to raise taxes on every day New Yorkers who work for a living and give tax breaks to people who buy $1,000 bottles of champagne and lap dances at Scores. I’ve got news for you Michael – they don’t need our help. The middle class does.
Confronted with the fact that corporations like Verizon make billions in profits and pay almost zero to the Treasury, Grimm’s response is to raise taxes on working New Yorkers. That says all we need to know about Michael Grimm and his priorities.
As for the Republican budget that Michael Grimm voted for and is selling us, it uses Enron accounting to cheat Americans out of the health care and old age insurance they have been paying into for decades and actually raises the deficit that Grimm claims to care so much about.
