MILWAUKEE- US Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin released 10 years of state and federal tax returns and challenged all of the Republican Senate primary hopefuls to follow her lead and do the same. Baldwin’s release of her tax returns showed that over the past ten years, Baldwin has earned an average Adjusted Gross Income of $169,392. In 2011 she paid $51,315 in taxes and her effective income tax rate was 19.35%.

“Wisconsin voters deserve to know if the Republican candidates would personally benefit from their own tax cut proposals and the positions they have taken in this campaign. The Republican hopefuls also owe it to the people of Wisconsin to disclose if they if they are taking advantage of, and benefitting from, any tax loopholes or sheltering any of their income or profits in off shore accounts in order to pay a lower tax rate than middle class families in Wisconsin.” said John Kraus, Communications Director for Baldwin’s Senate campaign.

In Congress, Baldwin has a record of fighting for tax breaks for the middle class and small businesses to grow our economy and create jobs. She is also the lead sponsor of legislation that requires people with incomes over a million dollars a year to pay their fair share in taxes.

“Wisconsin voters deserve nothing less from the Republican candidates, all of whom are supporting tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy while they refuse to make people with incomes over a million dollars a year pay at least the same tax rates as Wisconsin’s middle class,” said Kraus, “Either the Republican candidates release 10 years of their tax returns or they explain to the voters of Wisconsin why they believe they are entitled to keep secrets while they run for US Senate.”

All of the Republican candidates support the Ryan budget plan, which would end Medicare as we know it, while giving tax breaks to the wealthiest people in the country. They have also opposed the Buffet Rule, which would make millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share so that people with million dollar incomes pay at least the same tax rate as the middle class.

Ruthe Ann with Tammy at the Milwaukee Petition Kick-Off

Name: Ruthe Ann Bowen
Hometown: Milwaukee

Meet Ruthe Ann, one of Tammy Baldwin’s most dedicated volunteers and an early supporter of Tammy’s campaign for US Senate. In fact, you may already know Ruthe Ann, you might’ve heard her on your answering machine.

If you have pleasure of talking with Ruthe Anne, you know by now she’s here to support Tammy because Tammy is the only candidate in the race who advocates for affordable health care, an issue Ruthe Ann is very passionate about. She enjoys spending time in campaign’s Milwaukee office because it keeps her informed. We’d say she’s the one keeping us on task — reminding us about the impact this fight will have on the people of Wisconsin.

Why are you supporting Tammy Baldwin for U.S. Senate?
She’s dedicated. Once I got wind of what she’s all about I knew I had to do what I could to make sure she is elected to this Senate seat. She’s compassionate. She’s been through it. I’ve gone through it, and I’ve learned a lot. I can relate to her story, which is how I know that she is coming from the right place in this debate.

There’s a lot on the line in this election — the future of Medicare, for example — I want to be able to say on November 7 that I did all I could to help elect someone who shares my values and stands up for my rights.

What keeps you coming back each week to volunteer for Tammy Baldwin?
This race is important and the campaign is well organized. The people in the office are very welcoming and always make me feel like I am part of the group. And I’m from Milwaukee, so feel like I bring to the office the touch of someone else from the community.

And I feel like I need to be here to make sure that Tammy is elected because she knows that we all need affordable health care. I’m concerned that our access to affordable health care is gone, and there is a whole world out there of people who are scrambling.

What the staff has to say about her:
“Ruthe Ann is enthusiastic, and she’s gracious enough to give us her time even though she has her hands helping everywhere around Milwaukee.”

What is your favorite thing about Wisconsin?
Well, some things I don’t like about Wisconsin right now. But I like Wisconsin because it’s Midwestern, and I like the Midwest. The people here are nice. The people in Milwaukee are especially nice. Wisconsinites typically fight for what’s right, and I like that. Wisconsinites are fighters — and it’s so beautiful here.

Click here to sign up to volunteer for the campaign, and you could end up here next!

“I am proud of President Obama’s strong record of promoting fairness and equality. These are values I share, that we all share, and the pride I take in the President’s recognition today comes not just at a deeply personal level, but also because he has done the right thing for so many people. I am pleased that the President has today joined a growing number of people across the country who are moving forward on the issue of marriage equality and equal opportunity for all Americans.”

“Wisconsin Democrats are energized and united to defeat Scott Walker and elect Tom Barrett. Unlike the Republican primary for Senate where my opponents have already taken a negative turn and gone on the attack, this Democratic primary was not divisive. In every corner of the state, the people of Wisconsin are engaged in our Democracy and as Democrats we believe that is a good thing. Citizens have something to say and they want someone to be a voice for them. Unfortunately Scott Walker isn’t listening.

“Scott Walker chose to divide the state and he hasn’t focused on the middle class, on creating jobs, and on growing our economy. The people of Wisconsin stood up, with nearly one million Wisconsin citizens signing recall petitions because they want to be heard.

“Tom Barrett is committed to bringing the state together and focusing on creating jobs and growing our economy. It is time that Wisconsin come together and elect a Governor who will listen, and be a voice for the middle class. Tom Barrett will be that Governor.”

Speaking with students, Kohl and Baldwin will address their efforts in Senate and Congress to make a college education more affordable for Wisconsinites.

On July 1, unless Congress acts, interest rates will double for more than 7.4 million students with federal loans. The Senate will soon vote on a solution to keep interest rates low and provide students a fair shot at an affordable education, by making wealthier individual pay their fair share in taxes.

In Congress, Baldwin is the lead sponsor of the “Buffet Rule,” which would ensure that middle class workers do not pay a higher tax rate than those earning more than $1 million a year. She has also proposed a budget amendment that would have instituted the “Buffett Rule” and prevented a sharp increase in a student loan interest rate

Baldwin recently visited the UW-Eau Claire campus on a college tour that included visits to Marquette, UWM, UW-Oshkosh, Lawrence University, UW-Stevens Point, North Central Technical College and UW-LaCrosse.

From the Leader-Telegram.

]]> http://www.tammybaldwin.com/news/2012/tammy-baldwin-talks-tax-fairness-on-morning-joe/feed/ 0 http://www.tammybaldwin.com/news/2012/wxow-tammy-baldwin-talks-higher-ed/ http://www.tammybaldwin.com/news/2012/wxow-tammy-baldwin-talks-higher-ed/#comments Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:07:07 +0000 hilary http://www.tammybaldwin.com/?p=2026

LA CROSSE,WI(WXOW) – U.S. Senate Democratic Candidate Tammy Baldwin finished her 8-college campus higher education tour on Thursday, April 12th, with a stop at UW-La Crosse.

Baldwin said she is an advocate for higher education on behalf of college and university students around the state of Wisconsin. She said with the decrease in state funding support, tuition has increased dramatically.

Baldwin said that burden has shifted to students.

“In order to keep college accessible, I think it’s really important that we fight very hard to keep the Pell Grant so that it has the buying power necessary to keep college affordable,”said Baldwin.

She also emphasized the importance of the Stafford Student Loan that many college students rely on. She said if Congress doesn’t act–the interest rates on those student loans will double.

Baldwin said currently the rate is 3.4% and it could go up to 6.8%.

She is running for the seat held by retiring Sen. Herb Kohl. She’s the only Democrat in the race. Several Republicans, including former Governor Tommy Thompson, former Congressman Mark Neumann, and Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald. Businessman Eric Hovde and physical therapist Kip Smith are also running as Republicans.

The legislation from Whitehouse and Baldwin would seek to ensure that those making seven figures a year pay at least a 30 percent tax rate, with the rate being phased in for taxpayers making between $1 million and $2 million annually. Whitehouse noted this week that top 400 earners in America – many of whom, like Buffett, can take advantage of lower tax rates on capital gains – paid an average rate of roughly 18 percent.

Republicans on Capitol Hill have almost universally ridiculed the Buffett Rule, and the legislation faces a steep climb in both chambers. Obama and congressional Democrats will also be making their push for the rule after the March jobs were not as robust as expected.

But Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who helps craft his party’s messaging efforts, stressed this week that Democrats would bring up the Buffett Rule legislation multiple times, in order to keep the issue front-and-center this election season.

“The middle class can’t bear the burden of reducing the deficit alone,” Schumer told reporters on Thursday.

Click here to read the entire article from The Hill.

U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) has sent a letter to the leaders of the House of Representatives, asking them to bring her proposed “Buffett Rule” measure to the floor for a vote.

Baldwin’s bill would ensure that middle-class taxpayers would not have to pay a higher tax rate than those earnings more than $1 million a year.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said the Senate will vote on the measure on April 16. The Senate version was written by U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

In her letter, Baldwin writes: “The American people deserve to know where their representatives stand on this critical opportunity to restore fairness in our tax system.”

The “Buffett Rule” is named after billionaire Warren Buffett, who has argued that taxes on the wealthy are too low.

But there’s too much spin from the radical right wing on this issue, and the facts are lost in the hype and rhetoric.

That’s why I am hosting two town halls next week, called “Medicare: Get the Facts,” and I hope you will join.  These events will set the record straight on the Ryan budget plan and what it means for Wisconsin, and for you.

Click here to RSVP for the Janesville Town Hall with guest Rob Zerban.

Click here to RSVP for the Oak Creek Town Hall with guests Rob Zerban and Chris Larson.

I hope you’ll join me next Thursday — it’ll be a discussion of a topic that’s so important for middle class Wisconsinites.