The facts:
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As a Congressman, Retread Ted voted for President Bill Clinton’s 1993 Budget Reconciliation Bill which not only raised taxes by $246 billion, but also included a tax increase on “middle income social security recipients.”
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As a result of the bill an estimated 5.5 million senior citizens receiving social security were forced to pay higher taxes.
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Retread Ted’s vote didn’t sit well with Ohioans. After supporting the measure USA Today wrote that Strickland “had to deal with weeping widows worried about rising social security taxes.”
- In 2000, Strickland voted against repealing the tax increase on senior citizens’ social security benefits.
RESEARCH:
Ted Strickland Voted For The 1993 Budget Reconciliation Bill Which Raised Taxes On Social Security Benefits For Senior Citizens. “Adoption of the conference report to reduce the deficit by an estimated $496 billion over five years through almost $241 billion in additional taxes and $255 billion in spending cuts by closely tracking President Clinton’s economic proposals. Of the cuts in the bill, $102 billion would come through a freeze of discretionary spending at fiscal 1993 levels through fiscal 1998. Proposals in the bill include: a new top income tax bracket of 36 percent with a 10 percent surtax above $250,000 retroactive to Jan. 1, 1993; a tax increase on the Social Security benefits of wealthier recipients; an increase of 4.3 cents in the federal gas tax; a tax increase from 34 percent to 35 percent on corporate income above $10 million retroactive to Jan. 1, 1993; an auction of the public radio spectrum; a direct student loan program; $55.8 billion in Medicare cuts mostly through reductions in payments to providers; a delay in cost of living adjustments for military personnel; changes in federal retirement programs; a $20.8 billion expansion of the earned-income tax credit; creation of empowerment zones; an increase in spending of $500 million for childhood immunization and $2.5 billion for food stamps; a two-year extension of the research and development tax credit; a 50 percent capital gains exclusion for long-term investments in certain small businesses; and allowing the depreciation of intangible assets.” (H.R. 2264, CQ Vote #406: Adopted 218-216: R 0-175; D 217-41; I 1-0, 8/5/93, Strickland Voted Yea)
- President Bill Clinton’s 1993 Economic Package Raised Taxes By $246 Billion, Including Tax Increases On “Middle-Income Social Security Recipients.” “The Clinton budget would raise taxes by $246 billion over the next five years, including an across-the-board energy tax and higher income taxes for the well-to-do, corporations and middle-income Social Security recipients. It also has about $100 billion in spending cuts, including reduced Medicare reimbursements to doctors and hospitals and lower payments to federal workers and retirees.” (Ron Fournier, “Clinton Pushes Economic Package On Capitol Hill,” The Associated Press, 5/19/93)
An Estimated 5.5 Million Senior Citizens Receiving Social Security Were Forced To Pay Higher Taxes. “An estimated 5.5 million Social Security retirees would have to pay a higher tax as a result of the change, which is expected to raise $24.5 billion over the next five years.” (David Hess, “Income Tax Hike On Social Security Angers Older Americans,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 8/10/93)
USA Today Wrote That Strickland “Had To Deal With Weeping Widows Worried About Rising Social Security Taxes.” “Rep. Ted Strickland of Ohio has had to deal with weeping widows worried about rising Social Security taxes.” (Leslie Phillips, “Freshmen Feel Hometown Heat,” USA Today, 8/23/93)
In July 2000, Ted Strickland Voted Against Repealing The Tax Increase On Senior Citizens’ Social Security Benefits. “Passage of the bill that would repeal the provision in the 1993 law that increased the portion of Social Security benefits subject to taxation from 50 percent to 85 for single taxpayers with incomes over $25,000 and married taxpayers filing jointly with incomes over $32,000 effective after Dec. 31, 2000. An amount equal to the revenues that would have been collected had the tax not been repealed would be transferred to the Medicare trust fund from the general fund.” (H.R. 4865, CQ Vote #450: Passed 265-159: R 212-3; D 52-155; I 1-1, 7/27/00, Strickland Voted Nay)