For Immediate Release: September 26, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC – Led by Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX), a bipartisan letter signed by 65 members of Congress seeks tax treatment fairness for the eight U.S. states that don’t have state income taxes.

“This deduction is critical in providing tax fairness to thousands of Washingtonians and other Americans living in states with no income taxes. This deduction ensures that citizens in these states are not forced to shoulder a larger share of the federal tax burden,” said Congressman McDermott, a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee. “I will continue to fight to keep the deduction for state and local sales taxes.”

According to the Washington State Department of Revenue, over 1.4 million Washington taxpayers saved over $400 million in taxes or an average of $478 per tax filer in 2010.

Congressman Brady, Republican senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, said, “Residents of states – like Texas – that don’t have income taxes are at a unique disadvantage on April 15. While residents of states with state income taxes can deduct those taxes from the federal tax, residents with state sales taxes can’t and that’s simply not fair. That’s why we fought so hard for an itemized deduction for states that fund their services with sales taxes. Unfortunately that deduction has expired.”

Today’s letter shows the strong support for continuing the sales tax deduction until comprehensive, fair tax reform can be put in place.

(Click here to read the signed letter; direct link: http://j.mp/QG7iT8.)

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