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Late Breaking News |
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| Date: July 28, 1998 9:18 am Contact: Taxpayers for Common Sense Brian Hughes 202-546-8500, ext. 104 |
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Latest News Releases
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First-Ever Common Sense Taxpayer Scorecard Unveiled | ||
| WASHINGTON - July 28 - Taxpayers for Common Sense Action (TCS Action)
today introduced the most informative, interactive and user-friendly tool for the American
taxpayer -- the first-ever Common Sense Taxpayer Scorecard. The scorecard is located on
the Web at www.taxpayer.net and is also available in traditional paper format. The Common Sense Taxpayer Scorecard found that, despite dozens of chances to save taxpayer money, 359 Members of Congress had a voting average of less than 50 percent during the First Session of the 105th Congress. The taxpayer scorecard also identified 25 Taxpayer Heroes - 2 senators and 23 representatives who cast pro-taxpayer votes at least 75 percent of the time. Other findings include the best and worst of state delegations. Head and shoulders above other states was the delegation from Wisconsin. Its two senators were the only two Taxpayer Heroes in that body. Other taxpayer-friendly state delegations include Massachusetts and Vermont with a high 72 percent House average. At the other end of the spectrum, Alaska's congressional delegation scored lowest in both the Senate and the House, joined by Utah and New Mexico. Ralph DeGennaro, TCS Action's executive director, assessed the taxpayer scorecard results: "We found that most Members voted against sensible reforms that would cut waste. It is clear that America's taxpayers need more heroes in Congress!" The taxpayer scorecard tallied votes on amendments and bills, 32 votes in the U.S. Senate and 36 in the U.S. House, to cut wasteful government spending, subsidies, and tax breaks. The votes included spending for items such as the B-2 bomber, Medicare reform, ethanol subsidies and pork barrel transportation spending. The Common Sense Taxpayer Scorecard scores every Member of Congress and provides full descriptions of the issues considered during each vote. DeGennaro concluded, "The Common Sense Taxpayer Scorecard reaches out to taxpayers from all political perspectives and seeks to transcend ideological and partisan differences. By empowering citizens with the facts, the taxpayer scorecard allows every American to fight for common sense reforms." TCS Action is a 501(c)(4) lobbying affiliate of the non-partisan, politically independent budget watchdog organization in Washington, D.C. -0- |
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