A Letter To The Editor From Marianne Clemente

A Letter to the Editor From Marianne Clemente, chairperson, Barnegat Democratic Municipal Committee

Our representative Tom MacArthur and his staff are rude and totally dismissive of District 3 constituents. We have had enough. On Dec. 4 and Dec. 6 we respectfully protested at MacArthur’s office regarding his support of the destructive, divisive and inequitable tax “cut” bill undergoing reconciliation in Congress. MacArthur was the only New Jerseyegislator to vote “yes” for this bill.

When we tried to visit MacArthur’s office, we were stopped by the guards. They called MacArthur’s Constituent Services Director-Noriko Kowalewski to speak to us. We were disrespectfully treated and stood in this empty room where Kowalewski listened and made no attempt to write anything down until we asked why she wasn’t making note of our being there. She proceeded to have us write our name and address on a piece of loose-leaf paper. She still made no note of why we were there.

This destructive bill, if passed, will be disastrous to the middle class, the working poor and those living at or below the poverty level. I would guess that the majority of folks who will read this letter, me included, are in one of those three groups–otherwise referred to as the 99 percent This tax “cut” bill is TOTALLY GEARED TO THE WEALTHY one percent.

We, the 99 percent, will be negatively affected big time, losing:

State/local tax deductions

Medical/dental/casualty loss deductions

The Affordable Care Act’s Individual Mandate for Health Insurance

Student loan deduction

Mortgage interest deduction

Teachers’ deduction for school supplies

Some Medicare and Medicaid coverage

Tax cuts for individuals over time

The one percent stands to gain by the:

Reduction of corporate tax from 35 percent to 20 percent

Elimination of the estate tax (affects millionaires and billionaires)

Average tax cut of over $700,000 every year for folks making more than $3.5 million

Elimination of the Alternative Minimum Tax

Tax cuts for corporations being permanent

This bill will add over $1 trillion to the debt. Aren't the Republicans diametrically opposed to adding to our deficit? How hypocritical of them. Call MacArthur’s office at 202-225-4765 and demand that he vote against this tax bill and listen to his constituents.

This bill is not good for New Jersey and we simply can’t afford it. It was written for the wealthiest among us – the one percent.

Image: Patch archive image