{"id":2168,"date":"2019-12-26T10:00:08","date_gmt":"2019-12-26T17:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiegonewsdesk.com\/?p=2168"},"modified":"2019-12-27T05:03:58","modified_gmt":"2019-12-27T12:03:58","slug":"congressman-mike-levins-op-ed-on-salt-deductions-is-deeply-misguided","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiegonewsdesk.com\/?p=2168","title":{"rendered":"Congressman Mike Levin’s Op-ed on SALT Deductions is Deeply Misguided"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by Michael Palomba<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) recently wrote an op-ed<\/a> slamming Republicans for capping state and local tax deductions, also known as SALT deductions. Below is an excerpt from Levin’s piece.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2017, many families in the North County San Diego and South Orange County communities I represent took an unexpected, unfair tax hit. The financial plans they had made \u2014 like whether to buy a new home \u2014 were upturned when Washington Republicans passed a tax bill that capped the State and Local Tax deduction, known informally as SALT.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, these families lost out on thousands of dollars in savings on federal taxes that they used to receive before the SALT cap went into effect, effectively paying a massive penalty simply because they live and work in a high-cost area with higher taxes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What Levin fails to mention in his op-ed is the reason this deduction was so important, to some, in the first place: h<\/span>igh state and local taxes.<\/p>\n

He even mentions those who live in \u201c<\/span>high-cost areas with higher taxes.<\/span><\/i>\u201d And that\u2019s the problem right there. These individuals would not have to rely on the federal government to reimburse them if their state and local governments did not tax them so much.<\/span><\/p>\n

California has the <\/span>highest marginal tax rate in the country<\/a> at <\/span>a staggering 13.3%. In addition, we have <\/span>the highest state sales tax in the country at 7.3%. Furthermore, after the recent gas tax hike, California also has\u00a0<\/span>the second-highest gas tax in the nation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Republicans believe that low taxes are the way to go because it gives individuals as much control over their financials as possible. When you don\u2019t have to pay ridiculously high taxes, you have much more financial flexibility and control over your own life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Democrats, on the other hand, believe that people should rely on the government, and are generally in favor of higher taxes and more government control.<\/span><\/p>\n

So the problem here is not that Republicans put a cap on SALT deductions, but that California Democrats have an obsession with taxes. They will tax anything and everything they can.<\/span><\/p>\n

And now that the federal government isn\u2019t picking up the tab, they need a scapegoat. Rep. Levin is simply trying to push the blame away from his tax-hungry policies and on to Republicans’ tax reform.\u00a0<\/span>However, this is not a wise move.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Earlier this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom tried to do the same thing with regard to California\u2019s growing homelessness problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In spin room at #DemDebate<\/a>, @GavinNewsom<\/a> slams Trump Administration and HUD for doing \u201cnothing\u201d on \u201chousing first,\u201d the priority to solve homelessness. pic.twitter.com\/AQXRHUwZys<\/a><\/p>\n

— Carla \u2018Bluechecked\u2019 Marinucci (@cmarinucci) December 20, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n