King Campaign Calls on Vilsack to Take a Stand on the Issue: Balanced Budget
“Look, we acknowledge this is not a Democratic district, but this election isn’t necessarily about partisanship, it’s about the issues,” Vilsack Campaign Manager Jessica Vanden Berg, The Des Moines Register, June 20, 2012
“We agree.” – King for Congress Campaign Manager Jake Ketzner
The 4th District candidates’ campaign managers agree – this race is about the issues. In wake of Christie Vilsack’s Campaign Manager stating the race for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District is “about the issues,” the King for Congress campaign is calling on Christie Vilsack to take a stand on the issues important to Iowans.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 22, 2012
King Campaign Calls on Vilsack to Take a Stand on the Issue: Balanced Budget
Vilsack called Balanced Budget Amendment “a gimmick;” Said she wants to raise taxes. Is that her idea of reigning in spending?
(AMES) – The King for Congress campaign today called on Christie Vilsack to tell voters exactly where she stands on the issue of balancing the federal budget. Vilsack’s campaign has said this campaign is “about the issues,” but Christie Vilsack continues to duck the issues.
In an appearance on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press,” Vilsack called a measure to require a balanced federal budget “a gimmick,” offered no solution to America’s budget mess and said citizens should “take some responsibility for paying a little bit more.”
“Balancing our federal budget and reigning in Washington’s out-of-control spending is far too important for Christie Vilsack’s game of ducking issues,” said King for Congress Campaign Manager Jake Ketzner. “Congressman King has a clear plan to balance our budget. Christie Vilsack has yet to offer a plan to balance our budget and reign in Washington’s spending and instead offers a plan to raise taxes on hard-working Iowa families.”
Congressman King supports a bipartisan Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution capping spending at 18% of GDP, requiring a super-majority vote for tax increases and requiring a super-majority vote for increasing the debt limit. Christie Vilsack called a Balanced Budget Amendment “a gimmick” on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” and proposed raising taxes on Iowa families.
Background
Vilsack campaign manager says the race is “about the issues.” Vilsack won’t take a stance on the issues.
In a story in the Des Moines Register, Vilsack’s Campaign Manager Jessica Vanden Berg said this campaign was about the issues – issues her candidate ducks questions on.
“Look, we acknowledge this is not a Democratic district, but this election isn’t necessarily about partisanship, it’s about the issues,” Vanden Berg said.
Vilsack calls an effort to reign in Washington spending “a gimmick” on “Iowa Press” and offers no specific plan to balance our budget, except for raising taxes.
Radio Iowa’s Kay Henderson: “Would you support a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution?”
Vilsack: “Well, that is what Steve King talks about and I think it's a gimmick. I think we need to balance our budget, first of all, the most important thing, one of the most important things we need to do right now is to balance our budget. But we need to do it in a responsible way and it needs to include, again, in these kitchen conversations I've had the last few nights that is what people are talking about. People talk about the word balance and balance for me means that you have to make sure that people who are making more actually pay a little bit more, that they take some responsibility for paying a little bit more.”
Iowans call a balanced budget common sense, not “a gimmick.” Additionally, the State of Iowa follows a law that prohibits spending more than 99 percent of annual incoming revenue projected by the Revenue Estimating Conference. Iowa’s spending limitation law has led to a healthy cash reserve, balanced budget and stability for Iowa families and businesses to grow.
Vilsack wants to raise taxes on hard-working Iowa families. The Heritage Foundation says under Vilsack’s plan taxes on Iowa families would go up by $3.59 billion, or about $2,491 per tax return.
From Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press”
The Des Moines Register’s Kathie Obradovich: “Would you allow the Bush tax cuts to expire?”
Vilsack: “Well, yes. I think we should -- for people who are making over a million dollars, I think people who are making over a million dollars should pay a little bit more.”
Obradovich: “Just over a million? You wouldn't make it lower than that, like $200,000 or $250,000?”
Vilsack: “No, I think millionaires and billionaires should pay a little bit more. It has always been -- when we've been in hard times before people who had more, it's just asking them to do a little bit more, they have always done that.”
Obradovich: “And is there anybody else that you would want to raise taxes on? Or raise taxes for? Corporate taxes, anything else you would like to see –“
Vilsack: “I think right now that if we ask millionaires to pay a little bit more that's not too much to ask.”
Vilsack’s plan would raise taxes on farming families owning 150 acres or more
Christie Vilsack said she wanted to raise taxes on millionaires. Said Vilsack, “I think right now that if we ask millionaires to pay a little bit more that's not too much to ask.”
Under Christie Vilsack’s plan, nearly 50,000 Iowa households would see their taxes sky rocket and with farmland going for an average of over $7,000 an acre in the 4th District, Christie Vilsack would look to raise taxes on family farm operations owning 150 acres or more.
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Paid for by King for Congress