July 21, 2015 01:53 PM | Permalink | 
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Contact: Jenice R. Robinson, 202.299.1066 x 29, Jenice@ctj.org
Gov. Kasich Is a ‘Compassionate’ Tax-Cut-for-the-Rich Conservative
Following is a statement by Bob McIntyre, director of Citizens for Tax Justice, regarding Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s entry into the Republican presidential candidate field.
“John Kasich has tried to build an image for himself as a compassionate conservative. He points to a law expanding his state’s Earned Income Tax Credit and notes that, unlike many other Republican governors, he accepted Affordable Care Act funds to expand Medicaid for lower-income people. But two policies do not make a compassionate conservative make. During his five years as governor, Kasich has pursued a broad tax-cutting agenda that has reduced taxes for the wealthy and businesses and increased taxes for low- and middle-income people.
“The latest budget passed in Ohio includes $1.85 billion in income tax cuts, fully half of which go to the best-off 1 percent of Ohioans. At the same time, the poorest 20 percent of Ohioans will pay more in taxes. These latest Ohio tax cuts for the rich come after years of other regressive tax changes.
“More than a decade ago, George W. Bush’s “compassionate-conservatism” rhetoric translated into two rounds of huge federal tax cuts that disproportionately benefited the wealthy. Gov. Kasich’s record as governor suggests that he would likely pursue the same top-heavy tax-cutting agenda that has starved the nation of the revenue it needs to adequately fund basic services from education to infrastructure.”
For more on Gov. Kasich’s tax policy record, go to: http://ctj.org/ctjreports/2015/06/2016_repository.php#kasich
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