Some in GOP sound a discordant note on tax reform

WASHINGTON — Sounding a discordant note among the positive talk on the tax bill, a number of Republicans are delivering a blunt assessment, casting the bill as a boost to big corporations and the wealthy instead of the middle class.

“Fundamentally if you look at the bulk of the bill, two-thirds of it, it's tied on the business side,” Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., said Tuesday as leaders in the House and Senate hailed their respective measures as an advantage for working Americans.

Asked why GOP leaders label it a middle-class tax cut, Sanford said, “There is certainly a chicken in every pot, in essence. But, again, look at where the big money is. The big money is on the corporate side.”

Both the House and Senate have passed massive tax bills that would provide steep tax cuts for businesses and more modest tax breaks for families and individuals. The tax cuts in both bills add up to about $1.5 trillion over the next decade.

Expect changes to the final package. California Republicans are pushing to enhance a deduction for state and local taxes. Both the Senate and House bills would limit the deduction to $10,000 in property taxes. Some Republicans from high-tax states want taxpayers to be able to use the deduction for state and local income taxes as well.

“That's one of the options that our lawmakers have brought to us from California and New York and Illinois and others. So yes, we are looking at it. That's one of many options,” said Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas.

Brady, who is one of the lead negotiators for House Republicans, said lawmakers are also considering increasing the child tax credit. It's $1,600 in the House bill and $2,000 in the Senate bill. Under current law, the credit is $1,000.

Congressional estimates show that taxpayers in every income group would initially see tax cuts, with the biggest cuts going to the wealthiest Americans. However, after several years, many low- and middle-income families would see tax increases, according to the analyses by the Joint Committee on Taxation, the official scorekeeper for Congress.

“We think that all Americans should be given lower taxes, and so there's still work to be done on tax reform,” said Rep. Mark Meadows, RN.C., chairman of the conservative Freedom Caucus.

The two chambers must reconcile their respective bills, and GOP leaders are intent on delivering a final package to President Donald Trump by Christmas.

J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press A number of Republicans are delivering a blunt assessment to constituents by casting the tax bill as a boost to big corporations and the wealthy instead of the middle class.