Senator Hutchison speaks on Tax Protest Day April 15

U. S. SENATOR KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON talks about Tax Reform and Budget restraint as Gallery Furniture’s Jim McIngvale and area families listen to the Senator on Tax Protest Day.


HOUSTON — On Wednesday, as Texans across the state are filing their taxes, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Texas’ senior Senator, joined young Texas families and Houston area business leaders to discuss the growing burden being placed on taxpayers by excessive government spending. At a press conference held at the new Gallery Furniture store on Post Oak in Houston, Sen. Hutchison detailed her efforts to extend the sales tax deduction and to eliminate the marriage tax penalty in future legislation.

“On Tax Day some in Congress may need a reminder of just who is underwriting the government’s spending spree: American taxpayers, like the Texans I met with today. They must not be burdened by a federal budget that borrows too much, spends too much, and taxes too much,” said Hutchison.

“While I’m proud that I was able to pass two important amendments in the Senate that will help lower the tax burden on Texas families, today, when millions of Texans are filing their taxes and thousands are participating in tea parties across the state, they remind us that we need to do more,” Hutchison said. “Let’s fight to make the marriage penalty relief permanent. And let’s fight to make our sales tax deductible so that these families here today, and across our state, can continue to pursue the American Dream.”

Also participating in the press conference, which took place at the Gallery Furniture Post Oak, were Texas families who will benefit from Hutchison’s tax amendments to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 budget that is now awaiting negotiations with the House.

During Senate debate on the Fiscal Year 2010 budget, Sen. Hutchison introduced two amendments to provide tax relief to millions of Texas families by permanently extending the sales tax deduction and eliminating the marriage penalty in future legislation.

Hutchison’s sales tax deduction amendment would prevent future tax increases on Texas families by allowing for the permanent deduction of state and local sales taxes. Texas is one of eight states that impose sales taxes in lieu of income taxes. Congress has extended the sales tax deduction every few years, but the provision will expire at the end of 2009. After a series of negotiations, the Senate accepted a modified version of Hutchison’s amendment.

Additionally, Hutchison has worked to eliminate the marriage tax penalty. On the first day of the 111th Congress, she introduced the Permanent Marriage Penalty Relief Act of 2009 to outlaw this tax policy, once and for all. She also introduced a budget amendment to establish a point of order against any legislation, which would impose or increase a marriage penalty. The marriage penalty pushes married couples into a higher tax bracket than two unmarried single wage earners living together and taking in the same combined income. After years of fighting this unfair tax policy, Congress has made important strides toward eliminating the marriage penalty by lowering tax rates, doubling the standard deduction, and simplifying other elements of the tax code. The amendment was passed unanimously in the Senate.

Hutchison and the families were joined by members of the Houston business community, including Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale; Don Paul Sweat, President of the Galleria Chamber of Commerce; Soofia Aleem, Executive Director of the South Asian Chamber of Commerce; Jeff Moseley, President & CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership; Jane Catherine Collins, Manager of Public Policy, Tax and Fiscal Issues, Greater Houston Partnership; Suzan Deison, Founder and President of the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber; Dana Kervin, Board Member of the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber; Elsie Huang, President of the Asian Chamber of Commerce; Danny Nguyen, President of the Vietnamese-American Chamber; and Laura Murillo, President of the Houston Hispanic Chamber.