Jay Webber campaign on Friday fired back at Mikie Sherrill after she called the assemblyman, one of the most conservative members of New Jersey’s legislature, a backer of high taxes over his support of the Republican tax plan passed late last year.
Branding Webber as some tax-and-spend politician could be a tough sell for Sherrill, a first-time candidate.
“This race will in many ways boil down to a simple question for voters – Do you want to keep more of your money, or not?” said Webber campaign manager Phil Valenziano said in a statement. “If voters believe they should keep more of what they earn, they will pull the lever for Jay Webber on Election Day. If they want their taxes raised by $6000, Mikie Sherrill is their candidate.”
In making the attack, Sherrill also backed off a previous position on Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-Harding), whom the candidate had attacked over his support of the budget that made the tax bill possible. Sherrill cited Frelinghuysen’s no vote on the tax bill, along with 10 other members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation.
Sherrill’s claim there relies on the tax cuts given under the plan, ones that lean towards tax relief for high earners, being counteracted by the cap imposed on state and local tax deductions, which hits New Jersey particularly hard because of the state’s high taxes.
But, while that might be true for the majority of the state, it’s less true for the 11th district, which, according to a report by the House Ways and Means Committee, receives the seventh largest cut from the bill in the country. Median income families of four in the district would see their taxes cut by about $5,800.
It’s not clear whether or not that figure includes tax hikes coming from the SALT cap, but deductions in the district averaged about $20,000 before the cap was imposed, so residents will see their gains offset.
Still, whatever the math, calling Webber pro-taxes is something of a stretch.
“There are residents in the 11th District that will see their taxes go up and Assemblyman Jay Webber refuses to side with them,” Sherrill said in a statement. “I’m running for Congress to bring fresh ideas to Washington and work with leaders on both sides of the aisle to get tax relief for our families. Assemblyman Webber is a rubber stamp for an agenda that New Jersey opposes.”
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If I am the head of a household in Parsippany earning $68,000 per year (the median for that community) and I file jointly with a spouse, have 2 kids, and take the standard deduction, my income tax liability was reduced by $1,908 thanks to the Republican Congress. If I am the head of a household in Parsippany earning $68,000 per year and deducting for $11,000 in health care costs, $3757 for state and local income taxes, $500 for charitable contributions, and $10,000 in medical expenses, I save $98.75 on my federal income taxes. How is that a tax increase? Yes, there are wealthier households that will pay higher taxes – but isn’t this supposed to be a huge tax cut for the rich, according to the liberals? Frankly, we need more tax cuts – how about if we eliminate the income tax and replace it with a consumption tax? Or move to a flat tax: how about everyone pays 15% over $40,000 of income for single filers and 15% over $50,000 for joint filers, reduce the corporate tax rate down to 15% over $500,000? Jay Webber is the only candidate in NJ-11 who has opposed tax increases and supports lowering taxes at the state and federal level.