Pelath responds to Trump tax reform talk

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath from Michigan City today issued the following statement in response to the tax reform proposal outlined earlier today by President Donald Trump:

“Bipartisan tax reform is a noble effort when it benefits working people and grows jobs without further inflating our national debt.  A simpler, fairer tax code is always a worthwhile goal.

“While these conditions are simple, they are also strict.  Change cannot simply be for the sake of the rich getting richer as we pass more debt on to our kids.

“The right kind of tax reform can be a good thing, maybe even the greatest of things, particularly for those hardworking Americans who are looking to break the cycle of living paycheck-to-paycheck. That said, the president omitted important details that may mean the difference between true middle-class tax relief and just another round of corporate giveaways like we’ve seen too many times before.

“We also can’t have the president’s tax reform mean a simple giveaway to the rich. This has been the precursor to crumbling roads and bridges, failing schools, and abandoned communities.

“Many questions remain.  Am I confident that President Trump can answer them?  Candidly, I am not.  However, bipartisan efforts in Congress are worth encouraging as long as their fruits are fairness and prosperity.

“If Congress achieves truly bipartisan tax reform, I suspect it will look very different than what the President read off today.”