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Tom Tancredo on Taxes and Budget

The federal government is largely funded by a diversity of different taxes on income and commerce. The relationship between taxes and federal budget is very intimate and historically democrats and republicans have split on how to manage the relationship. This topic includes information about candidate positions on: raising, reducing, and eliminating certain taxes, a federal flat-tax system, and balancing the federal budget.

The issues

Tom Tancredo strongly opposes an increase in taxes for the wealthiest Americans

Voted YES on making Bush tax cuts permanent

Bill sponsored by Lewis, R-KY; Bill HR 586 ; vote number 2002-103 on Apr 18, 2002

Tom Tancredo supports tax cuts for middle-class families

Voted YES on providing tax relief and simplification

Bill sponsored by Bill Rep Thomas [R, CA-22]; Bill H.R.1308 ; vote number 2004-472 on Sep 23, 2004

Voted YES on the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004 to provide tax relief and simplification.

Bill sponsored by Bill Rep Thomas [R, CA-22]; Bill H.R.1308 ; vote number 2004-472 on Sep 23, 2004

Tom Tancredo is neutral on a Constitutional amendment that would require Congress and the President to balance the budget each year

The only way to control the budget is to reform the entitlement programs that mandatory spending funds

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Tom Tancredo strongly supports a flat tax system across income levels

I also support efforts to scrap the current tax system and replace it with either a national sales tax or a flat tax

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Tom Tancredo strongly supports eliminating taxes on estates after an individual's death

Voted YES on eliminating the "death tax."

Bill sponsored by Dunn, R-WA; Bill HR 8 ; vote number 2001-84 on Apr 4, 2001

Tom Tancredo strongly supports the elimination of the marriage penalty which more greatly taxes couples with similar incomes

Voted YES on eliminating marriage penalty

Bill sponsored by Archer, R-TX; Bill HR 4810 ; vote number 2000-392 on Jul 12, 2000

Tom Tancredo strongly supports the elimination of the Alternative Minimum Tax

Voted NO on Temporary Tax Relief Act of 2007, a bill that would shelter middle class families from the alternative minimum tax while making up the lost revenue by requiring managers of investment partnerships such as private equity firms to pay ordinary income tax rates on their earnings.

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Supports FairTax, which would eliminate Alternative Minimum Tax

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Tom Tancredo strongly supports the reduction of taxes on capital gains

Q: The FairTax would eliminate the income tax, estate tax, payroll tax and capital gains tax and replace it with a 23% sales tax. Do you support it? A: The reason why we absolutely need to go to something like a FairTax--and I am a co-sponsor. And by the way, if you don't understand how it would work, I would suggest to you that you read Neil Boortz's book and John Linder's. It's a perfect explanation of how it works. But the most important reason to move from an income tax to a FairTax is because an income tax is designed to manipulate behavior. It gives the government the power to manipulate your behavior. "I reward you for the things I want you to do by giving you a tax cut. I penalize you for the things I don't want you to do by raising your taxes." That is too much power for the federal government. It is always going to be an overreach of power.

2007 GOP Iowa Straw Poll debate Aug 5, 2007