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Tom Campbell on Tax ReformFormer Republican Representative (CA-15, 1995-2000) |
FIORINA: The tax burden is already too high. The tax burden must be cut, must be lowered. That is the only way we can get our economy growing again by creating jobs, and that means cutting taxes and w must actually cut federal spending. Now, once again, this is an area where Tom Campbell and I disagree fundamentally. In 1989, he proposed a gas tax increase. In 1997, he was the only Republican to vote against tax cuts. Last year, he proposed a $16 billion tax increase for the people of California.
CAMPBELL: That's absolute inaccurate. In the 102nd Congress, the National Taxpayer Union rated me #1 most fiscally responsible based on the amount of net cuts that I co-sponsored. Sen. Barbara Boxer was in congress with me and she was 412th when I was #1. I have never proposed that taxes be increased to close the federal budget. What I have proposed is that you go into Pres. Obama's proposed budget and you can find more than $600 billion to cut.
CAMPBELL: The reason is clear because, for example, suppose there is another airline crisis involving security and in order to beef up security we need to put a tax on airline tickets. Are you going to vote no if that money? Would you vote no on a special tax on airline tickets to beef up security on airlines?
FIORINA: I would, yes, and the reason I would vote no is because there is absolutely no reason that our federal government, which is now $12.5 trillion in debt, cannot trim spending from the waste bloat that sits in the federal government bureaucracy to deal with its most important priority, which is to protect the men and women of this country.
Q: Concluding remarks?
FIORINA: I will fight for every job; I will vote against every tax increase; I will champion reduced regulation, lower taxes and lower government spending. We must take our government back and make it work.