It was at the Quail Creek Republican debate in August that I was asked the question, “If you are not the Republican candidate for the Congressional District Two office, will you support the Republican candidate”? My answer was “yes”.
During the course of the campaign season I became aware of the Green Valley Council Resolution adopted in April of 2013, requesting repeal of Section 9013 (f) of the Health Care Act (HCA). If not rescinded, on January 1, 2017 the taxpayers age 65 and over using Schedule A would find them facing an increased tax obligation. On that date the deductibility of medical expenses will be reduced, i.e. posing a greater tax burden on those with long- term chronic medical expenses such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, stroke, diabetes, heart disease, etc.
I pursued this “unfair tax” on the backs of elderly taxpayers with vigor. I met at length with one of the GVC Resolution co-sponsors and thereafter initiated a 100,000 signature petition drive for submission to the White House. This effort unfortunately ended when I was defeated as a candidate.
I have requested and read Congressman Barber’s Section 9016 “position paper” reply to GVC. With respect to his effort, he takes credit for introducing rescinding legislation on September 17, 2013. The bottom line, however, is that in over a year he has been “unable to deliver”. His legislation languishes in committee. The GVC Resolution would require deletion of only six (6) words from Subsection (f) of Section 213 of the IRS Code of 1986.
It is a matter of generally accepted political reality that the House of Representatives in 2015 will retain a Republican Majority. With the political advantage of a “Republican majority”, Martha McSally, if elected, would not have difficulty obtaining sufficient co-sponsors or obtaining sufficient Republican House votes to adopt rescinding legislation. This is a “pocketbook” issue that will affect 72% of the GV population age 65 or over.
I am supremely confident that Ms. McSally is able to rescind “six words” from the tax code if she were to take a Republican stance and refuse to agree to increased taxes and commit to protecting our elderly population.