Hultgren Opposes Fiscal Cliff Legislation

Although the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly supported a Senate-backed bill to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff," Rep. Randy Hultgren, who represents Yorkville and Kendall County, opposed the legislation. 

Hultgren, a Republican, said he did not support the bill that raised income taxes on high-earning Americans, because it did not address spending cuts. Calling it "indefensible," Hultgren said the package "makes the 16 trillion dollar debt and trillion dollar deficit even worse."

“I’ve already voted against raising taxes on all Americans, and I cannot support an irresponsible bill which doesn’t begin to address the problem that got us into this mess in the first place," Hultgren said in a released statement. “H.R. 8 addresses several significant issues, including tax rates for families. It repeals the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act. It includes an extension of parity for employer-provided transit benefits, which is something I’ve fought for repeatedly. Most importantly, it makes current tax rates permanent for individuals earning less than $400,000 and families earning less than $450,000. That must happen, but not in the absence of any effort to rein in spending.

The bill passed the House 257 to 167. According to The Washington Post the measure "would let the top tax rate rise immediately from 35 percent to 39.6 percent on income over $450,000 for married couples and $400,000 for single people."

Although the bill will protect middle income families from an increase in income taxes, the legislation passed Tuesday night will not stave off an increase in payroll taxes. A 2 percent payroll tax cut passed during the economic downturn expired Dec. 31. According to Bloomberg the average increase would be $1,635. The increase will impact approximately 80 percent of households with incomes between $50,000 and $200,000, Bloomberg reported.