2 Pa. Democratic Leaders Criticize GOP Tax Plan: 'This Is Just Rolling A Problem Downhill'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Two top Democratic leaders in Pennsylvania took to a conference call on Tuesday to warn the GOP's tax cut proposal being written in Washington will hurt the middle class.
Sen. Bob Casey and Gov. Tom Wolf expressed concerns that the rhetoric from Capitol Hill bodes ill for Pennsylvanians.
The pair criticized the Republicans' proposal to eliminate the federal deduction for state and local income taxes, and pointed out that the wealthy will see a far greater cut in their taxes based on discussions of what might be in a tax bill.
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Casey says he was invited to the White House nearly two weeks ago for a sit down with President Donald Trump and his budget aides and laid out his fears.
"He and his team and Republicans around the table made the point that when we have a bill that some of these numbers may not look like they do now," he said.
Casey says he's encouraged some GOP lawmakers from Pennsylvania are not on board for eliminating the deductions.
Wolf, who says he's also worried about proposed Medicare and Medicaid cuts in the budget plan, calls the tax plan "trickle down economics" all over again.
"This is just rolling a problem downhill from the federal to the state level and it's unfair to all the taxpayers regardless of the tax they're paying in Pennsylvania," he said.