NYC Seniors Would Suffer Under GOP Tax Plan, Mayor Says

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Mayor Bill de Blasio and other Democratic officials railed against proposed Republican tax overhauls Tuesday, saying the plans in Congress would hit New York City seniors hardest. The proposed Medicare cuts in the Senate GOP's bill would essentially take money from seniors and give it to corporations and wealthy people, de Blasio said.

"No one’s going to be hurt more than seniors on fixed incomes," de Blasio said during a rally outside Trump Tower that the mayor's government office organized. "They don’t have more to give but this plan is going to cut them to the bone."

Senate Republicans introduced a tax-reform plan earlier this month that would slash the corporate tax rate and cut many personal income tax rates. But because it would grow the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion over 10 years, the bill would trigger automatic spending cuts to certain programs under the federal "pay as you go" rule. That could mean a $25 billion loss for Medicare next year, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

That's $25 billion "that would be taken from Medicare and given to the wealthy," de Blasio said.

De Blasio and other city officials have been critical of the Senate and House tax plans, saying they would hike taxes for thousands of working-class New Yorkers. The House passed its tax bill last week.

On Tuesday, the mayor took aim — as he has often over the past year — at Republican President Donald Trump, saying the tax bills are a "scam" for which Trump would ultimately shoulder the blame. Senior citizens and labor activists joined de Blasio at Tuesday's rally.

"You are in for a big fight, Mr. President," de Blasio said. "Seniors all over the country are not going to forgive you for this. Seniors know how to fight back and, by the way, seniors vote."

De Blasio and others also pledged Tuesday fight the Senate's efforts to repeal the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act, which requires every American to have a health insurance policy or face a fine.

City officials have criticized the House GOP plan's provisions that would eliminate or limit some individual income tax deductions, including those for state and local property taxes and certain medical expenses. The Senate plan would leave some of those deductions alone, Patch has reported.

The Senate plan reportedly faces an uncertain future, as no Democrat supports it and one Republican, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, has said he he opposes it.

(Lead image: Mayor Bill de Blasio is seen in November 2016 leaving Trump Tower, where he held a rally against Republican tax proposals on Tuesday. Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)