© 2024 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14202

Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
WBFO Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040
Your NPR Station
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Congresswoman Hochul calls for permanent middle-class tax cut; Republican opponent slams proposal

WBFO News photo by Eileen Buckley
Congresswoman Kathy Hochul in the WBFO & AM-970 studio

Western New York Congresswoman Kathy Hochul said middle-tax tax cuts should become permanent. 

"Let's just stop the fighting. Don't hold people in this country hostage any longer," said Rep. Hochul.  "Tell the middle class families that those tax cuts will be permanent."

The tax-breaks, in place since 2003, will expire at the end of this year.  President Obama is pushing for  an extension.  

But Hochul wants tax cuts for those earning less than $500,000 a year to keep to stay in place without an expiration date.

"I'm saying let's make it permanent," said Congresswoman Hochul.

Hochul appeared at the WBFO & AM-970 studio Monday to discuss her urgent call to keep the tax cut in place.

Hochul says she traveled through her District, listening to concerns of middle-class families.  She sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging them to act immediately to pass a permanent extension of the middle class tax cuts.

"They know that $2,600 out of their pockets would be absolutely devastating," said Hochul. "What we're are not doing properly in Congress is giving families certainty."

Meanwhile, House Republicans are expected to push for a measure to extend all of the Bush-era tax cuts due to expire -- that would include reductions on the wealthier income earners.

Hochul's republican opponent for the 27th Congressional seat, Chris Collins, commented on Kathy Hochul’s plan to raise taxes.

Collins said after Hochul voted for tax increases and opposing tax cuts for over a decade, her "latest flip-flop would raise taxes on small businesses and job creators significantly."

“For over 36 years, I’ve owned small businesses that have created or saved over 500 jobs here in our region.  And I can tell you unequivocally that Kathy Hochul’s plan to raise taxes on small businesses and job creators will take money from small businesses they need to create jobs and send it to Washington to be wasted on more outrageous spending plans like ObamaCare,” said Collins. 

Collins supports a full extension of the tax cuts, which would give small businesses certainty and enable them to reinvest larger profits into creating and saving critical jobs in the Western New York and Finger Lakes region, while also preserving tax cuts for thousands of middle class families.