June 5, 2008 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bill Sali today voted against a budget blueprint that calls for the largest tax increase in American history in order to subsidize even more runaway federal spending.

The measure passed 214-210 but had opposition from many Democrats who couldn’t come to terms with this egregious tax hike.  It had already passed the Senate and does not need to be signed by the president to take effect. The measure sets the total limit of spending for the 12 Appropriations bills to be considered by Congress.  The 2009 House-Senate budget resolution is expected to cost average Idahoans an extra $2,600 this year – on top of rising gas and food prices.

“The words have been used so often that they have sort of a numbing effect – ‘the largest tax increase in American history.’  But at a time when our nation is already wrestling with the highest gas prices we’ve ever seen along with a weak economy that threatens growth, a warning of such a gigantic tax hike shouldn’t fall on deaf ears – it will fall on everyone’s well-being, and should foster outrage from every Idahoan,” Sali said. 

“This budget will lead to additional hardships for Idahoans.  Now, Democrats in Congress have decided to throw salt in a gaping economic wound, and I can’t begin to say how reckless and thoughtless this plan is. What Idahoans need more than anything is lower taxes and lower energy prices, and this Congress is coming up with every way possible to give us the exact opposite.  This budget will prove disastrous not only for the U.S. economy but for so many Americans who are already struggling to make ends meet,” said the Congressman.

The budget resolution does nothing to cut or eliminate wasteful spending, end the abuse of earmarks, reduce bloated entitlement spending or provide tax relief to Americans. Additional pitfalls of the budget resolution include: the return of the marriage penalty so that some married couples pay more taxes than if they had filed separately as singles; cutting the child tax credit in half; and a dramatic reduction of tax incentives for small businesses.

“This Democrat-controlled Congress continues to break records: Record high gas prices, soaring food prices and now a record high tax increase in the budget blueprint.  This is shocking,” said Sali.