TO: Interested Parties

FR: DNC

RE: Trump’s Tax Scam Broke His Promises To Hard Working Americans Across The Country

During the 2016 campaign Trump said he’d “massively cut taxes for the middle class” — but two years ago this week Trump and Republicans put forward their tax scam that broke this promise.

His agenda will raise taxes on most hardworking Americans, gives handouts to his wealthy, well-connected friends, and continues Trump’s sabotage of our health care system, increasing premiums and undercutting protections for people with preexisting conditions. In states like Wisconsin, Florida and Arizona, big corporations are pocketing their tax windfall, then laying off workers. And as the nation continues to rack up debt on Trump’s watch, Republicans even say they might cut Medicare and Social Security to help pay for it all.

Polling confirms Trump’s vulnerability on this issue: Monmouth University showed only 34 percent approve of the law, CBS News found “most say new tax law helps corporations and the wealthy, not middle class,” and Gallup wrote the law “is not turning out like President Donald Trump and the Republicans hoped it would.”

In key battleground states, here’s Trump’s record of broken promises on taxes and how he’s hurting middle-class Americans:

• AZ: In 2016 in Mesa, Trump said “I’m cutting the hell out of taxes for the middle class,” but his plan will raise taxes on 1.1 million middle-class Arizonans. Walmart saved more than $1.6 billion under his tax scam — then laid off hundreds of workers in Arizona.

• FL: In 2016 in Miami, Trump said “I’m going to lower your taxes substantially,” but his plan will end up raising taxes on 3.6 million middle-class Floridians, while the richest 1% of Florida taxpayers receive 40% of the state’s cuts this year. Corporations like AT&T received a $20 billion tax windfall — then laid off hundreds of workers in Florida.

• PA: In 2016 in Ambridge, Trump said he would cut taxes “big league,” but his plan will raise taxes on nearly 1.8 million middle-class Pennsylvanians.

• MI: In 2016 in Detroit, Trump said “No one will gain more from tax cuts than low and middle-income Americans,” but his plan will raise taxes on 1.2 million lower- and middle-class Michiganders.

• NC: In 2015 in Raleigh, Trump said he’d pass “the biggest tax cut of anybody by far,” and “the middle class is getting the biggest part of it.” But his plan will end up raising taxes on 1.3 million North Carolinians, while the richest 5 percent of North Carolinans get most of the cuts this year.

• NH: In 2016, Trump declared he was “giving everybody a tremendous tax cut,” and promised to make “our country really vibrant again,” but his plan will raise taxes on more than 223,000 Granite Staters.

• NV: In 2016 in Reno, Trump said he would “massively cut taxes for the middle class,” but his plan will raise taxes on middle-class Nevadans. Corporations like Wells Fargo were projected to get a $3.7 million tax windfall, then laid of 340 employees and closed their Reno call center.

• OH: In 2016 in Canton, Trump said he would “bring opportunity and prosperity to all Americans,” and promised Ohioans he was going to “lower your taxes,” but his plan will end up raising taxes for 1.6 million middle-class Ohioans — and the richest 5% of Ohioans receive 50 percent of the benefits this year.

• TX: In 2016 in Austin, Trump said he would “declare our independence” from a “rigged system that benefits only insiders” and bring jobs back, but his tax plan created a windfall for corporate insiders who turned around and laid off Texas workers. To make matters worse, Trump’s tax scam will raise taxes for over 5 million Texans.

• WI: In 2016 in Appleton, Trump said “my tax plan lowers taxes very substantially for middle class people,” but his plan will raise taxes on hundreds of thousands of working families in Wisconsin. And Wisconsin corporations like Kimberly Clark used their tax savings “to pay for layoffs.”

The bottom line: Two years later, Trump’s tax scam is a major vulnerability for his campaign and a glaring example of how he’s failed to deliver for the middle class. His agenda helps the wealthy and well-connected, while Americans who actually work for a living are paying the price. Across the battlegrounds, Trump has left a trail of broken promises on this issue and in 2020 voters will hold him accountable.

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