WASHINGTON – House Members
Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) and Republican John Faso (NY-19)
both voted Thursday against the House Republican federal 2018 budget proposal,
which passed.
Both lawmakers opposed a provision that would eliminate the ability of
families to deduct state and local taxes.
Maloney did not mince words. He called the budget “a shot below
the water line” for Hudson Valley homeowners.
“This is a terrible idea that will hurt middle class homeowners
in the Hudson Valley to benefit wealthy and well-connected insiders and
anybody who votes for this thing should have their head examined if they
live where we do,” he said after the vote.
Faso said the nation needs comprehensive tax reform “to benefit
Upstate New York families and increase economic growth.” He said
Congress “must provide middle class tax relief and lower the burdens
on job-creating small businesses.” And Faso said he could not vote
for a budget resolution “that singled out for elimination the ability
of New York families to deduct state and local taxes.”
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said the GOP budget
“takes a sledgehammer to Medicare and Medicaid while greasing the
skids for a tax bill that would raise taxes on middle class families while
giving the wealthy and giant corporations a tax break in blowing a huge
hole in the deficit.”
