Protesters say proposed tax cuts will help the rich, hurt the middle class

A week after Rep. Vern Buchanan stood alongside other House Republicans to support new proposed tax reform legislation, nearly two dozen people lined outside of Buchanan’s downtown Bradenton office Tuesday to protest his position on the plan.

Members representing three area Indivisible groups stood along Manatee Avenue West., waving signs and shouting their opposition to the plan.

Karen Curlin, co-chair of Indivisible East Manatee, said called the proposal a tax scam, not a tax plan.

“Trickle down economics didn’t work when Reagan did it and it’s not going to work now,” Curlin said.

She’s concerned that with the tax cuts will come cuts in spending on programs like Medicare.

The proposed tax plan, Jo Bloom said, will affect her children, who are middle class. Bloom fears they will lose some of the deductions and exemptions they rely on.

“We don’t believe the Republican tax plan really benefits the middle class,” said Bloom, with Indivisible of Northeast Sarasota. “I can afford to pay a little more in taxes but other people can’t and that’s a terrible thing that’s happening.”

At least three people went into Buchanan’s office to express their concerns to staff members while the rest of the group stood near the road, waving and holding signs.

One man held a photo of Buchanan over his face while holding a large check made out to “The Wealthiest One Percent” for $1.5 trillion.

The proposed changes to the tax code are designed to reduce complications in filing and put money back into the pockets of middle-class Americans, House Speaker Paul Ryan said during the unveiling of the plan last week.

The plan would also lower the tax rate for corporations but would eliminate several deductions that Americans have become accustomed to, according to The Washington Post.

Buchanan serves on the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees changes to the tax code.

“We are one step closer to meaningful tax reform that will benefit all Americans. This bill cuts taxes for middle class families as well as small businesses, simplifies a broken tax code and jump-starts the economy. I look forward to meeting with my constituents in the weeks ahead to discuss how the bill can be improved further as it makes its way through Congress,” Buchanan said in a Nov. 2 statement.

This story was originally published November 7, 2017 at 11:20 AM with the headline "Protesters say proposed tax cuts will help the rich, hurt the middle class."