Jon Tester on Tax Reform Democratic Jr Senator

Trump tax cuts were a disastrous handout for jet-owners

Matt Rosendale (R): Yes. "Bigger paychecks & more jobs for Montanans. This is your money & you should be deciding how to invest or spend it--not the government."

Jon Tester (D): "Disastrous." "Need reform for hardworking Montanans, not a handout for jet-owners paid for by our kids & grandkids."

GOP tax plan saddles future generations with more debt

"This tax scheme not only, it also raises taxes on Montana families in the long run, forces cuts to Medicare, and caps deductions that allow Montanans to keep more of their hard-earned money in their wallets," Tester said. "This all takes place while corporate tax cuts remain permanent, inflating the bank accounts of big business and leaving the folks who do the hard work with smaller paychecks."

Rosendale said Tester's vote against the bill was one of the reasons he is motivated to run for U.S. Senate.

Extend Bush exemption for inheritance tax up to $10M

Limit inheritance tax to estates over $5 million

Focus tax cuts on the middle class, not the rich

TESTER: If we're going to talk about tax cuts, let's focus them on the middle class, when the bulk of that tax cut he talks about is focused on the very richest rich. The middle class needs to have some support in the tax code, so we best not be messing around and let's do it. Instead of taking away things like the college tax credit, for working families trying to send their kids to college, which Burns did, and increase the taxes on them. Instead of talking about the marriage penalty, let's make it so it isn't a penalty. But why do we have to give tax breaks to Paris Hilton in the process? That tax program that he talks about is dependent on deficit spending to make it work. Deficit spending is putting a tax on our children of $28,000 -- every child is born with a $28,000 tax, in the form a national debt. It's time we had some common sense.

Lowering state taxes shifts burden to local property tax

TESTER: Every tax cut measure had the unforeseen consequence of raising the property tax. We can be the good guys at the state level, but that'd just make the school boards and county governments increase the mill levies [of the local property tax], and that's not the way I do business. I'm accountable for what I do and I wasn't going to support that tax pullback. Some of that money went to increasing teacher's salaries, without forcing school boards to increase their mill levies, and in some cases could actually have them reduce their local property taxes. Last session, we eliminated taxes on 13,000 small businesses and we didn't increase taxes. That's the record with the Democratic governor and Democratic senate. We did it within a balanced budget, and we did it on time.

BURNS: He eliminated the business taxes on 13,000 businesses--but raised them on 16,000 businesses.

Bush's tax cuts are irresponsible

CC:Reverse federal income tax cuts.

The Christian Coalition Voter Guide inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Make federal income tax cuts permanent' Christian Coalition's self-description: "Christian Voter Guide is a clearing-house for traditional, pro-family voter guides. We do not create voter guides, nor do we interview or endorse candidates."

CC:Keep the inhertiance tax.

The Christian Coalition Voter Guide inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Permanent Elimination of the "Death Tax"' Christian Coalition's self-description: "Christian Voter Guide is a clearing-house for traditional, pro-family voter guides. We do not create voter guides, nor do we interview or endorse candidates."