Shelley Moore Capito on Tax Reform

	Shelley Moore Capito on Tax Reform Republican Representative (WV-2)

Phaseout the death tax.

Capito co-sponsored the Death Tax Elimination Act:

Title: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to phaseout the estate and gift taxes over a 10-year period.

Summary:

property shall be treated as transferred by gift; and
the basis of the person acquiring the property shall be the lesser of the adjusted basis of the decedent or the fair market value of the property at the date of the decedent`s death.
Requires specified information to be reported concerning non-cash assets over $1.3 million transferred at death and certain gifts exceeding $25,000.
Makes the exclusion of gain on the sale of a principal residence available to heirs.
Revises current provisions concerning the transfer of farm real to provide that gain on such exchange shall be recognized to the estate only to the extent that the fair market value of such property exceeds such value on the date of death.
Provides a similar rule for certain trusts.
Amends the special rules for allocation of the generation-skipping tax (GST) exemption to provide that if any individual makes an indirect skip during such individual`s lifetime, any unused portion of such individual`s GST exemption shall be allocated to the property transferred to the extent necessary to make the inclusion ratio for such property zero; and
if the amount of the indirect skip exceeds such unused portion, the entire unused portion shall be allocated to the property transferred.
Provides that, if an allocation of the GST exemption to any transfers of property is deemed to have been made at the close of an estate tax inclusion period, the value of the property shall be its value at such time.

Source: House Resolution Sponsorship 01-HR8 on Mar 14, 2001

Rated 55% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes.

Capito scores 55% by NTU on tax-lowering policies

Every year National Taxpayers Union (NTU) rates U.S. Representatives and Senators on their actual votes—every vote that significantly affects taxes, spending, debt, and regulatory burdens on consumers and taxpayers. NTU assigned weights to the votes, reflecting the importance of each vote’s effect. NTU has no partisan axe to grind. All Members of Congress are treated the same regardless of political affiliation. Our only constituency is the overburdened American taxpayer. Grades are given impartially, based on the Taxpayer Score. The Taxpayer Score measures the strength of support for reducing spending and regulation and opposing higher taxes. In general, a higher score is better because it means a Member of Congress voted to lessen or limit the burden on taxpayers. The Taxpayer Score can range between zero and 100. We do not expect anyone to score a 100, nor has any legislator ever scored a perfect 100 in the multi-year history of the comprehensive NTU scoring system. A high score does not mean that the Member of Congress was opposed to all spending or all programs. High-scoring Members have indicated that they would vote for many programs if the amount of spending were lower. A Member who wants to increase spending on some programs can achieve a high score if he or she votes for offsetting cuts in other programs. A zero score would indicate that the Member of Congress approved every spending proposal and opposed every pro-taxpayer reform.

Source: NTU website 03n-NTU on Dec 31, 2003

Rated 17% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation.

Capito scores 17% by the CTJ on taxationissues

OnTheIssues.org interprets the 2005-2006 CTJ scores as follows:

0% - 20%: opposes progressive taxation (approx. 235 members)
21% - 79%: mixed record on progressive taxation (approx. 39 members)
80%-100%: favors progressive taxation (approx. 190 members)

About CTJ (from their website, www.ctj.org):

Citizens for Tax Justice, founded in 1979, is not-for-profit public interest research and advocacy organization focusing on federal, state and local tax policies and their impact upon our nation. CTJ`s mission is to give ordinary people a greater voice in the development of tax laws. Against the armies of special interest lobbyists for corporations and the wealthy, CTJ fights for:

Fair taxes for middle and low-income families
Requiring the wealthy to pay their fair share
Closing corporate tax loopholes
Adequately funding important government services
Reducing the federal debt
Taxation that minimizes distortion of economic markets

Source: CTJ website 06n-CTJ on Dec 31, 2006

Repeal the Death Tax.

Capito signed H.R.205

Subtitle B of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxes) is hereby repealed.
The repeal shall apply to estates of decedents dying, gifts made, and generation-skipping transfers made after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Source: Death Tax Repeal Act 09-HR205 on Jan 6, 2009

Taxpayer Protection Pledge: no new taxes.

Capito signed Americans for Tax Reform "Taxpayer Protection Pledge"

Politicians often run for office saying they won`t raise taxes, but then quickly turn their backs on the taxpayer. The idea of the Pledge is simple enough: Make them put their no-new-taxes rhetoric in writing.

In the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, candidates and incumbents solemnly bind themselves to oppose any and all tax increases. While ATR has the role of promoting and monitoring the Pledge, the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is actually made to a candidate`s constituents, who are entitled to know where candidates stand before sending them to the capitol. Since the Pledge is a prerequisite for many voters, it is considered binding as long as an individual holds the office for which he or she signed the Pledge.

Since its rollout with the endorsement of President Reagan in 1986, the pledge has become de rigeur for Republicans seeking office, and is a necessity for Democrats running in Republican districts.

Source: Americans for Tax Reform "Taxpayer Protection Pledge" 10-ATR on Aug 12, 2010

Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.

Capito signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge against raising taxes

[The ATR, Americans for Tax Reform, run by conservative lobbyist Grover Norquist, ask legislators to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in each election cycle. Their self-description:]

In the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, candidates and incumbents solemnly bind themselves to oppose any and all tax increases. Since its rollout in 1986, the pledge has become de rigeur for Republicans seeking office, and is a necessity for Democrats running in Republican districts. Today the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is offered to every candidate for state office and to all incumbents. More than 1,100 state officeholders, from state representative to governor, have signed the Pledge.

The Taxpayer Protection Pledge: `I pledge to the taxpayers of my district and to the American people that I will: ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rate for individuals and business; and TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.`

Opponents` Opinion (from wikipedia.com):In Nov. 2011, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) claimed that Congressional Republicans `are being led like puppets by Grover Norquist. They`re giving speeches that we should compromise on our deficit, but never do they compromise on Grover Norquist. He is their leader.` Since Norquist`s pledge binds signatories to opposing deficit reduction agreements that include any element of increased tax revenue, some Republican deficit hawks now retired from office have stated that Norquist has become an obstacle to deficit reduction. Former Republican Senator Alan Simpson, co-chairman of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, has been particularly critical, describing Norquist`s position as `no taxes, under any situation, even if your country goes to hell.`

Source: Taxpayer Protection Pledge 12-ATR on Jan 1, 2012

Pro-tax cuts, according to CC survey.

Capito supports the Christian Coalition survey question on tax cuts

The Christian Coalition inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Make Federal Income Tax Cuts Permanent ?' Self-description by Christian Coalition of America: "These guides help give voters a clear understanding of where candidates stand on important pro-family issues" for all Senate and Presidential candidates.

Source: CC Survey 20CC-11A on Sep 10, 2020

Implement socially fair, broad-based tax cuts.

Capito adopted the Republican Main Street Partnership issue stance:

Not only has the Republican-led Congress achieved a balanced budget for the first time since 1969, but it has also created a budget surplus -- a feat not previously even imaginable. It is currently projected that the Fiscal Year 1999 budget surplus will be along the order of some $80 billion, of which $66 billion is earmarked for Social Security. This envious state of affairs would seem to indicate that equitable, far-reaching tax reductions may be in order -- not as an ideological or political strategy, but as a primary element of an economic growth policy and a legitimate tool for holding down unnecessary government growth in times of surplus.

The United States is enjoying steady economic prosperity thanks in no small measure to prudent fiscal policies implemented by the Republican-led Congress. However, we must look not only at the positive side of the economy but also at the problems the economy faces -- at the present time and into the twenty-first century. Limiting government spending (i.e., spending caps) is a good beginning to address some difficulties. In addition, current and future Congresses should maintain a balanced federal budget, pay down the national debt (which will help protect Social Security for current and future generations), redefine the federal government`s role in the society and, finally, think about fair tax reductions for the American people and the businesses that drive our economy. [We need] an evaluation of implementing tax cuts based on their social fairness.

Source: Republican Main St. Partnership Issue Paper: Fiscal Policy 98-RMSP6 on Sep 9, 1998

Tax incentives for child care; eliminate marriage penalty.

Capito adopted the Women's Caucus policy agenda:

Child Care:

HR389—Child Care Infrastructure Act of 1999—A bill to provide a credit against tax for employers who provide child care assistance for dependents of their employees, and for other purposes. (Maloney/Ros-Lehtinen)
HR963—Child Care Availability Incentive Act—A bill to allow employers a credit for a portion of the expenses of providing dependent care services to employees. (Pryce/Roemer)

HR1097—A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to simplify the $500 per child tax credit and other individual non-refundable credits by repealing the complex limitations on the allowance of those credits resulting from their interaction with the alternative minimum tax. (Neal)
Dependent Care Tax Credit:
Several bills pending to expand the DCTC—General concepts we endorse—Increase percentage of expenses from 30% to 50% Increase the income level at which one can receive the maximum credit from $10,000 to $30,000 Some kind of state-at-home parent component Indexation for inflation Bills: HR1139 (Tauscher)—the Affordable Child Care, Education, Security, and Safety Act, a bill which includes this provision. HR2259 (N. Johnson)—Tax Relief for Parents Act of 1999, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand the dependent care credit.
Marriage Penalty:
HR6—Marriage Tax Elimination Act of 1999—A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to eliminate the marriage penalty by providing that the income tax rate bracket amounts, and the amount of the standard deduction for joint returns shall be twice the amounts applicable to unmarried individuals. (Weller/McIntosh/Danner) Source: Women's Caucus Agenda-106th Congress 99-WC13 on Jul 15, 1999

Tax incentives for education, new schools, & families.