Sen. Jeff Flake Stands Up for Arizona’s
Consumers and Businesses
Takes to the
Senate Floor to Raise Concerns with Border Adjustment Tax
Phoenix, AZ – Today, Americans for Affordable
Products, a coalition of nearly 200 businesses, local organizations, and trade
associations united to stop the Border Adjustment Tax or BAT, and its resulting
increased prices on everyday necessities, thanked Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) for
speaking out on the U.S. Senate floor to raise his concerns with the BAT.
The
Border Adjustment Tax is a provision of House Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) tax
reform plan, which, if enacted, would levy a 20 percent tax on imported
goods.
During
the floor speech, Senator Flake expressed his worry that BAT “could make
everyday consumer products more expensive at the very places that middle-class
families shop the most…[and] household staples could be pushed out of reach for
those who can least afford it.” He went on to say that he’s looking forward to
working with his colleagues on tax reform, “but we ought to make sure that the
middle class isn’t in the losing column.”
“Senator
Flake’s stout defense of Arizona’s businesses and consumers earlier today cannot
be lauded enough,” said John Arterburn, owner of Ace Hardware in Pinnacle Peak. “A 20 percent tax on imported products could
threaten the viability of my business, forcing me to make tough choices – I’d
either have to raise prices or eliminate staff.”
If enacted, the Border Adjustment Tax could result in
American consumers spending an additional $1,700 per year on basic necessities
like food, clothing, medicine and gasoline.
“Everyone agrees, simplifying our complicated tax code
is very much needed, but shifting the burden onto the backs of the middle class
while killing U.S. jobs is not the way to do it,” said Robert Medler, VP of
Government Affairs for the Tucson Metro Chamber. “Senator Flake hit the nail on the head today
– we need tax reform in this country, but introducing a Border Adjustment Tax
which amounts to a hidden tax on consumers and punishes those that are the
least fortunate dampens what would otherwise be a popular plan.”
Americans for
Affordable Products is a coalition of job creators, entrepreneurs, business
leaders and consumers united against higher prices on everyday necessities. To
learn more, please visit: www.KeepAmericaAffordable.com.
Additional Information:
- Resources: Coalition
Infographic, Myth vs. Fact, and More
- Press Release: AAP Launches Opposition to BAT
To schedule an
interview with an Americans for Affordable Products representative, please
email press@KeepAmericaAffordable.com.
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