NEIL: INITIAL AGREEMENT A FINAL
BACK FOR DETAILS AND SWAP AND
COMPROMISE ON INITIAL DETAILS.
THEY ARE SPEAKING WITH THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
AT LEAST MEMBERS OF THE
REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
POWWOWING WITH THE PRESIDENT AT
THE WHITE HOUSE.
GOOD TO HAVE YOU.
YOU WERE A NO BEFORE THIS MATTER
CAME UP AND YOU WERE CONCERNED
RIGHTLY SO, CONSTITUENTS, EFFECT
THE OF LOSING STATE AND LOCAL
TAX DEDUCTION.
RATE CHANGE YOUR MIND?
>> NOT THAT I HAVE SEEN, NEIL.
"SALT," STATE AND LOCAL TAX
DEDUCTION, IS THE MOST-USED
DEDUCTION BY THE PEOPLE I
REPRESENT.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN
I HAVE LED A DIRECT APPEAL TO
THE PRESIDENT TO SAVE "SALT."
I WAS JOINED BY LEE ZELDIN AND
PETE KING.
OTHERS MAY JOIN US.
WE'RE MAKING APPEAL TO THE
PRESIDENT.
HE IS FROM NEW YORK.
HE IS NEW YORKER.
HE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT TO THE
PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE, NURSES,
EVERYBODY WHO WORKS,
HARD-WORKING TAX PAYING PEOPLE
THIS, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
DEDUCTION FOR THEM, WE'RE ASKING
HIM TO SAVE IT.
NEIL: IT LOOKS LIKE, AND AGAIN
LOCAL TAX DEDUCTION AT $10,000
TOPS, AND DOESN'T GO BEYOND
THAT.
THE CORPORATE RATE INCHES UP A
LITTLE BIT FROM THE TOP RATE BUT
NEEDLE FOR YOU.
>> NO.
KNEEL, 10% OF THE SALARY GOES TO
STATE AND LOCAL INCOME TAX.
FAMILY OF FOUR MAKING $200,000,
WHICH IS MIDDLE CLASS IN
NEW YORK CITY, MIGHT BE
EXTRAVAGANT SOMEPLACE ELSE IN
THE NATION, IN NEW YORK CITY
THAT IS MIDDLE CLASS.
STRUGGLING TO PUT FOOD ON TABLE,
AND PAYING THEIR MORTGAGES.
IF THEY PAY $20,000 IN STATE AND
LOCAL TAXES, HAVE $10,000
PROPERTY TAX.
RIGHT NOW THEY'RE RECEIVING
PROBABLY END UP BEING A TAX
INCREASE FOR THE FAMILY, HOW
DOES THE PROCESS WORK,
CONGRESSMAN?
THIS COMES OUT OF THE COMMITTEE.
EVERYONE BOUNCES IT AROUND.
THESE CONFERENCE MEMBERS ARE
MEETING AT THE WHITE HOUSE RIGHT
NOW, THE REPUBLICAN ONES.
CAN YOU ADD THINGS WHEN IT IS
IS IT UP-OR-DOWN VOTE?
>> I THINK WHAT WILL HAPPEN, YOU
WILL SEE THE, THEY WILL WHIP IT
IF THEY HAVE 218 VOTES IN THE
HOUSE, IF THEY HAVE 50 OR 51
VOTES IN THE SENATE, AND IF THEY
DON'T, THEY WILL HAVE TO TWEAK
IT.
WE WILL EXPRESS TO THEM OUR
GRITTILY TO OUR FEDERAL --
GREATLY TO OUR FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT'S BUDGET.
WE'RE DONOR STATE, NEIL.
WE SEND A DOLLAR AND GET 79
CENTS BACK IN RESOURCES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT
PLEA.
MORE THAN JUST NEW YORKERS.
MY CONCENTRATION ARE PEOPLE OF
STATEN ISLAND, SOUTH BROOKLYN,
PEOPLE OF NEW YORK CITY, AS YOU
POINT OUT, I'M ONLY REPUBLICAN
MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM
OUR CITIZENS BUT OTHERS IN THE
NATION THAT WOULD BE HURT IF THE
"SALT" DEDUCTION IS ELIMINATED.
NEIL: OBVIOUSLY THEY DID THIS TO
GET SOME VOTES.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE
COMING FROM.
THEY DON'T COME FROM HIGH-TAXED
STATES LIKE YOURS, WHERE ARE
THEY GETTING THIS?
>> I JUST DON'T KNOW.
I'M NOT PRIVY TO THE WHIP COUNT,
CONFERENCE KNEW WHAT OUR CONCERN
WAS, AND IT IS THAT ELIMINATION