Institute for Public Accuracy 915 National Press Building, Washington, D.C. 20045 (202) 347-0020 * http://www.accuracy.org * ipa at accuracy.org ___________________________________________________
Wednesday, February 28, 2001
WILLIAM SPRIGGS Director of the National Urban League Institute for Opportunity and Equality, Spriggs said today: "President Bush misspoke when he said that he was offering tax relief to the $25,000 a year waitress-mom who faced a 50 percent marginal tax rate for working overtime. Her high tax rate comes from being close to the phase-out level of the Earned Income Tax Credit. Because she is getting the Earned Income Tax Credit, she owes no positive income tax, and therefore receives no benefit from the Bush tax cut. She and her children will not benefit from the president's proposed doubling of the child credit, because he does not make the credit refundable. So, she will continue to face the high marginal tax rate she now faces."