RESPONSE FROM CONGRESSMAN CHRIS GIBSON ON SURVEY#8

CHRIS GIBSON 20th District, New York __________ HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee on Readiness __________ HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management __________ http://gibson.house.gov WASHINGTON 502 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-5614 SARATOGA SPRINGS 513 Broadway Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 306-5450 GLENS FALLS 136 Glen Street Glens Falls, NY 12801 (518) 743-0964 KINDERHOOK 2 Hudson Street, PO Box 775 Kinderhook, NY 12066 (518) 610-8133 DELHI 111 Main Street Delhi, NY 13753 (607) 746-9537 May 25, 2011 Mr. Richard M. Wells 67 Corinth Mtn Rd Gansevoort, NY 12831-1209 Dear Mr. Wells, Thank you for contacting me regarding taxes, it is good to hear from you. We have a spending problem in this country, not a revenue problem. One of the reasons I retired from the military and came to Washington was to fight the growing mentality that taxpayers' pockets can be treated as bottomless coffers. I believe all Americans have an obligation to contribute funds to cover the federal government's expenses, which is why I voted for a budget proposal that would close tax loopholes and ensure individuals and corporations alike are paying their fair share. However, I reject the excessive federal spending that has become the norm in Washington and the idea that taxpayers should be expected to fund a bloated government. Especially at a time when the economy is lagging, the federal government should not be placing further burdens on Americans by imposing high federal taxes. An example of an increase, or at least perceived increase, in taxes was the recent expiration of The Making Work Pay (MWP). This tax credit was implemented as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and provided a refundable tax credit (through lower income tax withholding) of up to $400 for individuals and up to $800 for married taxpayers filing joint returns in 2009 and 2010. Although the MWP tax credit expired on December 31, 2010, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, signed by President Obama on December 17, 2010, included an extension of some tax provisions that were scheduled to expire. This legislation also included a one-year "payroll tax holiday" which reduced the employee portion of the Social Security payroll tax from 6.2% to 4.2% of covered wages up to $106,800 in 2011. Some people may find that the reduction in Social Security payroll taxes in 2011 is less than the amount they received under the MWP tax credit in 2010. While I was not a Member of Congress when this legislation was passed in 2010, my belief is that the tax code should be simplified and tax rates should be cut across the board. We cannot tax our way to prosperity. Americans already face some of the highest tax rates in the world, which make our businesses less competitive and sends jobs that could be used here overseas. The best way to spur economic growth is for Congress to allow families and small businesses to keep more of their hard-earned money. Allowing taxpayers to keep more of what they earn encourages spending, saving, and investing, all of which are good for the economy and can begin immediately. It is the role of the private sector to create jobs and the federal government must provide a suitable economic environment conducive to this growth. In the wake of this recession New York families and businesses cannot afford more taxes, and as the Representative of the people of New York's 20th Congressional District I will continue to fight for lower federal taxes. Thank you, again, for contacting me with your thoughts. Please don't hesitate to inform me of your concerns in the future through my websitehttp://gibson.house.gov or over the phone at (202) 225-5614. Sincerely, Chris Gibson Member of Congress