Slow down on tax reform

Lawmakers in Washington are eager to pass a tax reform bill. After all, they have yet to pass a single meaningful piece of legislation in the current session of Congress. President Trump wants the bill on his desk by Christmas in hopes of getting something under his tree for the holiday. But when it comes to overhauling the nation’s tax code, which is long overdue, it is more important that our elected officials get it right than moving quickly. Just two weeks after first unveiling the massive 429 page bill, members of Congress voted to pass it and send it to the U.S. Senate. It is doubtful members of Congress had time to read the fine print. And there is a lot of fine print. Their work crafting the bill was done behind closed doors, without a single public hearing to explain what the bill actually does, and how it will affect everyday Americans. From what we’ve seen, there is both good and bad in this bill. It would reduce the number of tax rates, but would also eliminate deductions on state income taxes, essentially taxing us twice. The House bill would also allow churches to make statements relating to political campaigns without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status. And the bill would add more than a billion dollars to the federal deficit. It is good that Congress is eager to get this legislation passed, but they need to slow down and make sure they get this right and provide tax reform that makes sense for everyone.