News

Congressional candidates split on tax policy in battleground race

Posted September 30, 2008 11:00 pm

Joseph Ryan Daily Herald Staff

Democratic congressional challenger Dan Seals would raise taxes on people making more than $250,000 to help pay off the nation's massive deficit.

The Wilmette businessman also would vote to raise the federal minimum wage and reopen trade deals with Canada and Mexico to install better labor protections.

U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, a Highland Park Republican, would do none of the above.

In a heated congressional race gaining national attention, the two candidates offer voters several stark differences on a number of economic positions. Both candidates and outside groups have been pouring TV ads in the district.

Generally, Seals is hoping to link Kirk to President George Bush. The district voted for Democrat John Kerry in 2004.

This is Seals' second run at Kirk after losing with 47 percent of the vote in 2006.

Meanwhile, Kirk is trying to paint Seals as a proponent of tax increases who is out-of-touch with district residents.

Between the two, there is a clear difference at least on some taxes, the minimum wage and trade.

Kirk says he would vote to make the so-called Bush tax cuts permanent.

Those cuts reduced tax rates between 3 percent and 5 percent across all income tax brackets. They also slashed investment income taxes, created a tax credit to offset the so-called marriage penalty and increased the child tax credit.

The cuts are set to expire at the end of 2010, meaning whoever wins this election will likely have a vote on either extending or dumping some or all of the cuts.

Kirk says the recent economic crisis only intensifies his interest in extending the tax cuts. Kirk voted for both tax cut packages while in Congress.

"I think this economy is so shaky that if we elected leaders who are willing to raise your taxes that will deepen our economic gloom," he said.

Seals says he would vote to restore the old income tax rates for the top 2 percent of earners in America, which is generally defined as those making more than $250,000 a year.

Seals would support extending all the other tax cuts and would specifically oppose an increase in the capitol gains tax, a reduction in the child tax credit or a re-institution of the so-called marriage penalty.

Seals says the top-end taxes need to be raised to help balance the nation's budget.

"At some point we are just sacrificing our fiscal sovereignty," Seals said of the nation's $10 trillion deficit.

On free trade, Seals said he would support a limited reopening of the North American Free Trade Act, which is a move presidential candidate Barack Obama has endorsed.

But, Seals cautioned he would only want to add protections that would require higher labor standards in Mexico and Canada in order to help save American jobs. He stressed that he isn't against international trade.

"There is a wing of the party that is isolationist, very much about protectionism," he said. "I don't think that is the way to go."

Kirk would not vote to reopen NAFTA and called any such move, "sticking a fork in the eye of our best customers."

The federal minimum wage has had little impact on Illinois workers in recent years since Gov. Rod Blagojevich helped push through legislation locally that raised it.

But Kirk did vote in 2007 to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 by July of 2009. Illinois' minimum wage is currently $7.75 and it will rise to $8.25 by 2010.

Still, many in Congress have called for raising the federal minimum wage again or tieing it to inflation so it would automatically increase every year in relation to the cost of basic goods.

Kirk opposes that move.

Seals supports raising the minimum wage "to get ourselves to a level where someone who is working full time can support themselves, not in luxury, but to survive."

Election Day is Nov. 4 and the 10th Congressional District includes parts of Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Prospect Heights, Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Vernon Hills, Mundelein, Libertyville, Gurnee and Grayslake.

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