FULCHER: Not fiscally responsible

When Speaker of the House Mike Johnson presented a bill that would pay for Israeli support by cutting IRS funds, it appeared to be fiscally responsible. Except that it wasn’t.

As it turns out, the increased funding for the IRS earned $38 million last month. Those funds were mostly from wealthy tax avoiders and/or tax cheats. Research shows that the top 1% of wage earners routinely cut their reported income by 20% (Department of Treasury, National Bureau of Economic Research). This is not tax the rich. This is pay the taxes you owe. The newly staffed IRS, with forensic accountants, could result in collecting an additional $1 trillion in taxes owed over time. Cutting the IRS would cost us money. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office states the Speaker’s “fiscally responsible” plan would add $26.8 billion to the deficit due to lost tax income! Make no mistake, you and I would pay that loss.

When I called Congressman Fulcher’s office, I remembered he was against increasing the size of the IRS. He said the IRS would target people like you and I. That was never true. I asked his office for an explanation on his support of a bill (He voted yes.) that was not fiscally responsible. His email reply said he supported the Speaker, omitting the tax issue completely. In the next election voters should consider a Congressman who will keep everyday Americans taxes low, instead of Congressman Fulcher, who did not consider the people.

BARBARA OSTIPWKO

Coeur d’Alene