Steve Grossman
Steve Grossman, a candidate for Massachusetts Treasurer and a former chair of the Democratic National Committee and the Massachusetts Democratic Party, said in a press release today that he supports Senator Scott Brown’s proposal to use surplus federal stimulus funds to give workers $100 per month in tax breaks.
Saying he hoped Congress would act swiftly on the proposal, Grossman said: “I own a small business in Somerville that has been hit by the recession just like everyone else. I have spoken to my colleagues, and they are uniformly enthusiastic about the idea of having $100 more in their pockets each month.”
Grossman said in the release that a key element of his campaign is to use the financial powers of the Treasurer’s office to help spur growth and new jobs in Massachusetts small businesses. “President Obama has proposed tax incentives for employers who make new hires,” he said, “I think it is only fair that workers get tax relief as well. They need to put groceries on the table and pay the rent.
“Tax relief would put urgently needed money into consumers’ hands and give the economy a boost. Working people need the cash now,” Grossman said. He recommended, however, that Senator Brown reduce the income threshold for eligibility for the tax break from the proposed $200,000 “so that the bulk of the benefits will go to workers where the relief will have the biggest impact. We also must make certain all stimulus funds earmarked for Massachusetts and that flow to our cities and towns are protected.”
Grossman, who chaired the DNC from 1997-1999 under President Bill Clinton, said voters have made it clear that they reject politicians who put partisan advantage ahead of public concerns. “I think it is time that bipartisanship be more than just a catchphrase,” he said. “As Treasurer, I will be open to good ideas from anyone – Democrat, Republican, or independent.”
“Surplus” stimulus funds? How can that money possibly be considered surplus when the federal government had to borrow money from countries like red China to appropriate it in the first place?
Yeah, I’d like an extra $100 in my pocket, but not if I have to borrow it from the Chinese government and pay it back with interest.