08.03.06

Cantwell Announces Her Opposition to Republican Trifecta Deal

Plan Hurts Over 122,000 WA Minimum Wage Tip Workers, Fails to Make State Sales Tax Cut and R&D Credit Permanent

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) issued the following statement announcing her opposition to the cloture vote on the legislation scheduled for a vote before the full Senate later this week.

“The Republican trifecta plan is a perfect storm for Washington state. It cuts salaries for Washington state’s minimum wage tip workers, it does not make permanent the state sales tax deduction, and it would not make permanent the R&D tax credit. All these measures can and should be passed on their own. Therefore, I will oppose the cloture motion.

“I have fought to raise the minimum wage, make the sales tax deduction permanent, and make the R&D tax credit permanent. This is a cynical ploy on the part of the Republican leadership in an election year.

“Cutting the salaries of Washington’s tip workers by more than five dollars an hour is horrible. Over 122,000 tip workers could see a pay cut of as much as $5.50 an hour in our state.

“Washington voters passed a minimum wage increase adjusted for inflation in 1998 by a wide margin. It is senseless to roll it back now.

“I support estate tax reform. I support a 100 percent repeal of the estate tax for 99.7 percent of all Americans, including small businesses and family farms. Every American should be able to pass their first $7 million to their children without paying an estate tax.

“A 55 percent tax rate is unfair for Americans and our small businesses and family farms deserve relief. Yet there are four years before changes to the estate tax expire, so Congress has time for a cleaner package. We need estate tax reform, but it needs to be within reason. We need a well thought-out policy, and I will continue to push for a compromise that will truly help America prosper.”

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