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Bill Richardson on Taxes and Budget
This candidate has withdrawn from the election
There's no question that there's tax unfairness in this country, but we have to rebuild the economy. Yes, the Bush tax cuts have to go. But I would replace those Bush tax cuts with tax cuts for the middle class. We need to rebuild this economy by being pro-growth Democrats. We should be the party of innovation, of entrepreneurship, of building capital
2007 Democratic Primary Debate at Howard University Jun 28, 2007
There's no question that there's tax unfairness in this country, but we have to rebuild the economy. Yes, the Bush tax cuts have to go. But I would replace those Bush tax cuts with tax cuts for the middle class. We need to rebuild this economy by being pro-growth Democrats. We should be the party of innovation, of entrepreneurship, of building capital
2007 Democratic Primary Debate at Howard University Jun 28, 2007
Richardson's appearance, which he billed as a "job interview," drew a dozen questions, ranging from surprise issues like the flat tax -- Richardson said he isn't a fan of it -- to central matters like the war in Iraq and illegal immigration.
"Number two, I am for a constitutional amendment to balance the budget, a line-item veto and pay-as-you-go policies. I would get rid of the close to $30 billion earmarks that the Congress has."
We will eliminate the estate tax for all but the wealthiest estates, saving some tens of billions of dollars.
I will work with Congress to permanently abolish the "marriage penalty" in the tax code, making the system fairer to working women and their families.
Of the eight Democrats running for president, only Governor Richardson of New Mexico has thus far made a full elimination of the AMT a plank in his economic platform
I was convinced that tax cuts would improve the prospects for keeping talented people and businesses, attracting new enterprises, and kick-starting the entire state economy. Our state personal income tax before I got elected was more than 8 percent. Taking on the tax issue would reinforce the idea that I was a different kind of Democrat. The legislature took up my tax package, which included the four-year cut in the personal income tax from 8.2% to 4.9 percent and a 50% cut in the capital gains tax, and the package passed the House without a single dissenting vote and the Senate by a margin of 39 to 2. I signed it into law on Valentine's Day, 2003
Between Worlds, by Bill Richardson, p.304-306 Nov 3, 2005