Levin Statement on Republican Opposition to Payroll Tax Cut Extension

The following press release was published by the U.S. Congress Committee on Ways and Means on Dec. 2, 2011. It is reproduced in full below.

WASHINGTON - Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) made the following statement after Republicans today expressed opposition to an extension of the payroll tax cut:

“Once again the rigid ideology of Republicans is threatening to tie this institution into knots and strangle our economic recovery. There is hardly a starker i llustration of Republican priorities than their unwillingness to extend a tax cut for middle-income families even as they champion massive tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires."

THE CHOICE IS CLEAR:

Republicans are willing to increase taxes on middle class families….

* An expiration of the payroll tax cut would raise taxes on 159 million Americans

* A family making $50,000 per year would experience a $1,000 tax increase

….in order to keep down taxes for 300,000 millionaires and billionaires

* Those earning $1.1 million a year would pay an extra $3,250 under the millionaire’s surtax

Source: U.S. Congress Committee on Ways and Means