NEWS RELEASE: HVALF President Praises Tax Cut Vote, Calls on Local Reps to Act

A detailed analysis of the competing tax plans is available on the AFL-CIO web site.

This week the United States Senate voted 51 to 48 to extend tax cuts for the middle class and voted 54 to 45 against the proposed extension of the Bush Tax Cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans.  The legislation that passed the Senate extends tax cuts for first $200,000 earned income for individuals $250,000 for households.  This tax cut extension would apply to all income tax payers. 

Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation President Paul Ellis–Graham praised Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Senator Charles Schumer’s votes in support of the middle class tax cut passed by the Senate and their votes against the proposed extension of the Bush tax cuts.   Ellis–Graham called upon the US House of Representatives and the Hudson Valley delegation to act to keep taxes low for the middle class.

“I’d like to thank Senators Gillibrand and Schumer for their votes for the middle class. The very wealthy have had it very good in the last decade, but we simply we cannot afford to keep the full Bush tax cuts in place.  Working families cannot afford a tax hike, so the extension of the tax cuts for the middle class are vital for the economic health of our region.  I call on Rep. Nan Hayworth and Rep. Chris Gibson to vote for the extension tax cuts for the middle class and not hold them hostage to the tax cuts for the very wealthy,” said Paul Ellis-Graham, President of the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation.

Additional coverage is available here.