OH-16: John Boccieri Calls for Cutting Taxes after Opponent Raised Them

Boccieri Proposes Middle Class Tax Cuts

Opponent Hiked Ohio Taxes after Failing to Pay His Own

In his final "Fairside Chat" on Monday at the Stark County Fair, congressional candidate John Boccieri (OH-16) announced a broad plan for middle class tax relief that would give every working family an income tax cut of up to $1,000 and help American families pay for college, care for children and aging relatives, and escape unfair tax penalties.

Boccieri said:

“It's time the tax cut talk turns to action for middle class families. We have a surprising situation in this race: A Democrat who’s calling for cutting taxes and a Republican with a clear record of raising them."

Boccieri's opponent, State Sen. Kirk Schuring, voted for two of the largest tax increases in Ohio's history during the Taft Administration [HB 95, 6/19/03; HB 66, 6/21/05]. He cast these votes even after failing to pay more than $18,000 of his own taxes. ["In campaigns, tax liens emerge as issue," The Politico, 7/23/08]

Boccieri Campaign Spokesman Bryan Collinsworth said:

"The difference is clear - Kirk Schuring hasn’t proposed a single tax cut to help the middle class. Instead, he’s voted to raise taxes on Ohio families after failing to pay his own."

In the state legislature, Boccieri has opposed Gov. Taft's massive tax increases, fought for lower property taxes, and passed a law protecting Ohio truckers from the gas tax hike that Schuring supported. Meanwhile, Schuring's record leaves little doubt that in Washington he would continue President Bush's pattern of giving tax breaks to corporations and Wall Street millionaires while shifting a larger share of the U.S. tax burden onto middle class families.

Boccieri added:

"It's time to put the middle class first again, and that means putting middle class tax cuts before more giveaways to corporate executives."

Boccieri will fight for middle class tax relief by supporting:

A $1000-per-year tax cut for working families
Permanent property tax relief
Tax refunds on care for children and aging parents
A tax cut for college tuition
Expanded tax breaks for homeowners
An improved Child Tax Credit
Expanded marriage penalty relief
A permanent fix for the Alternative Minimum Tax

Click here for the details of these tax cut proposals.