Golden Votes Against Tax Bill for the Wealthy

WASHINGTON — To protect the interests of working Mainers in the Second District, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted yesterday against repealing a cap on the federal tax deduction for state and local taxes paid. The bill's elimination of the cap on the state and local taxes (SALT) deduction would have disproportionately wealthy states like California and New York, costing the government billions in funding that could instead benefit working Mainers.

"Just two years after Congress gave away trillions of dollars to corporations and the wealthy, they want to give away billions more to the rich and well-connected. Removing the SALT deduction cap is just another example of Washington making policies that benefit the powerful in New York and California, but not doing anything for working folks in Maine. This is why people think Congress doesn't work for them and why I voted against it," said Golden. "The billions of dollars used to uncap the SALT deduction would be better spent supporting programs that improve care for Maine veterans or by extending tax relief to make health care more affordable and promote renewable Maine energy sources like biomass."

Golden believes the $184.5 billion in tax money lost by uncapping these deductions could be better spent on tax priorities that don't include subsidizing the rich. Examples include:

• Reinstating the deduction for union dues;
• Permanently extending the Health Coverage Tax Credit to help workers negatively affected by trade and pension difficulties afford their health insurance, and;
• Enacting the BTU Act to incentivize the use of biomass for affordable, energy-efficient heating in homes and businesses and help grow Maine's forest products industry.