Reader Submitted
To the editor:
The Republican tax reform plan is concerning on the whole, considering how it prioritizes corporate tax cuts over the financial well-being of the middle class, but it is particularly concerning for New Jersey residents. Their plan included the elimination of state and local deductions, which has a greater impact on New Jersey residents than almost any other state in the nation. New Jersey must put its foot down and speak out against the unfair Republican tax plan.
The elimination of state and local tax deductions costs New Jersey residents thousands of dollars more in taxes. New Jersey has the seventh highest taxes in the nation, and as a resident of Hillsborough township, local taxes in my own town are also quite high. Under the Republican tax plan, our federal taxes would be significantly increased, because state and local taxes would no longer be deducted from our federal taxes.
This sort of tax increase is unfair to all Americans, but is particularly unfair to New Jersey residents who already pay some of the highest state and local taxes, and would see the greatest increase in their taxes. How can the Trump administration claim to support working Americans and the middle class when Republicans propose legislation which could skyrocket their taxes? This proposed tax plan is unjust, and New Jersey must firmly reject it.
Both New Jersey Democrats and Republicans have voiced opposition to the tax plan, but simply voting no is not enough. They must use their platform as members of Congress to speak out against this tax reform plan and educate people on its consequences, as tax plans can often seem quite opaque. New Jersey residents should also do their part in speaking out against this unfair tax plan in order to make sure it does not pass in the Senate. If New Jersey unites, it can put an end to the Republican attempt to take advantage of us by raising our taxes and lowering corporate taxes.
Michael Cappabianca
Hillsborough
