Tester presses Burns on U.S. sales tax
2006-10-11
Source: Billings Gazette
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rss feedJon Tester said Tuesday he wants Sen. Conrad Burns to explain his support for the National Taxpayers Union proposal for a national retail sales tax.
Tester, in Billings, said such a tax would increase the cost of everything Montanans buy by at least 23 percent.
Burns, R-Mont., indicated his support for a national sales tax by answering a questionnaire from the National Taxpayers Union, which has pushed the idea of a national retail sales tax to replace most federal taxes, including income and payroll taxes. The union says the 23 percent figure would be revenue neutral in replacing the federal taxes.
Burns is seeking his fourth term. Tester, a Democrat from Big Sandy and state Senate president, is running against him. Libertarian Stan Jones of Bozeman is also on the Nov. 7 ballot.
Tester said Burns failed at a debate in Bozeman Monday night to address the union plan.
The union for several years has promoted a proposal called FairTax that is a comprehensive revenue plan, eliminating most major federal income and payroll taxes, including personal, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, self-employment and corporate taxes.
The 23 percent national retail sales tax would replace the revenue of these taxes. Under the plan, all taxpayers would receive a monthly "prebate" so no one would pay taxes for consumption up to the poverty line.
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