Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - Business Needs More Tax Relief
Op-Ed
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - Business Needs More Tax Relief
Until I was sworn in on Tuesday to represent western New Yorkers in Congress, I had spent my entire career in the private sector, helping build a family manufacturing business and create good-paying jobs.
I ran for this office because I was frustrated with the way government was growing more out of touch with the challenges middle-class families and small businesses face every day.
One such example is how members of Congress receive an automatic pay raise each year without having to vote on it. With unemployment rising and workers forgoing wage increases during this economic crisis, I do not believe this Congress should support a pay raise for itself. That is why on my first day in office I joined a bipartisan effort to block the pay increase scheduled for next year.
Our work begins with an economic recovery package that creates jobs for western New Yorkers through smart investments, including tax relief that gives local businesses incentives to invest in their growth. Job creation is the single most important thing we can do to restore consumer confidence and pave the way for future prosperity.
In addition to these short-term measures, we need to put in place reforms that will help prevent another crisis of this magnitude. Irresponsible subprime lenders and Wall Street investors were able to take advantage of taxpayers who work hard and play by the rules in part because Washington failed to act. This must never happen again.
This week, I learned that I will work on the front lines for these much-needed reforms as a member of the Financial Services Committee. I fought to serve on this panel because it oversees the very institutions including the Treasury Department and housing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that failed to live up to their responsibilities. I plan to use this important role to change how Washington does business and reform the financial industry once and for all.
Finally, to make Washington work for western New York again, we have to hold it accountable for every hard-earned tax dollar it spends. I will leave no stone unturned in exploring ways to control federal spending.
The people of western New York need no reminder about how our economy is in crisis. These are not Republican problems or Democratic problems; these are challenges we face together as western New Yorkers.
At the moment I was sworn in, I went from having one boss to roughly 700,000. I pledge to listen to your concerns and fight tirelessly every day to aid our economic recovery.
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