Higher Taxes And Fewer Jobs

Congressman Robert Hurt

Weekly Column 12/17/12

 

Over the past two years, Central and Southside Virginians have witnessed the negative impacts on their families and small businesses as provisions in the President’s health care law continue to take effect. This law increases costs, limits access to care, and levies additional tax burdens on the American people at a time when we can least afford it. 

 

One of these taxes set to take effect on January 1^st is the medical device tax.  Totaling nearly $30 billion, this tax is estimated to result in 43,000 American jobs across the country threatened, including many in Virginia.

 

At a time when we as a nation have faced unacceptably high, long-term unemployment, the last thing that we should do is add additional burdens that make it harder for our small businesses to hire and grow. Instead we must advance policies that keep taxes low and rein in wasteful federal spending in order to create the economic certainty that is needed to get our economy back on track. 

 

Over the course of the past two years, the House has taken the lead on putting an end to big spending, big government policies that slow economic growth.  We in the House of Representatives believe that keeping taxes low on all Americans is essential to getting 5^th District Virginians and all Americans back to work.  

 

This summer, we adopted legislation to put an end to the medical device tax hike that is now set to take place in less than one month.  This legislation will enhance the quality of care while reducing the cost; and it will preserve American jobs that we cannot afford to lose in these trying times.

 

The Senate has not taken action on this legislation to date, but there is still time. On January 1^st, the medical device tax, coupled with the tax hike on all Americans that is currently also set to take effect, would harm our local communities across the Commonwealth and the country. It is my hope that our colleagues in the Senate will recognize the impact these tax hikes have on the American people and join with us in stopping them in order to get our economy back on track and create the jobs that the people of the 5^th District and those across this country need.

 

If you need any additional information, please visit my website at hurt.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-4711, Charlottesville office: (434) 973-9631, Danville office: (434) 791-2596, or Farmville office: (434) 395-0120.