Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Katie Britt, during Saturday’s Madison County Republican Men’s Club Breakfast, signed Americans for Tax Reform’s (ATR) Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Britt becomes the first candidate to make the pledge in Alabama’s 2022 race for the U.S. Senate.
She called on her opponents to join her in vowing to oppose any tax increase.
The pledge reads as follows:
I, Katie Britt, pledge to the taxpayers of the state of Alabama, and to the American people that I will: oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses; and oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.
Two North Alabama Republicans signed onto the pledge as witnesses: Tennessee Valley Republican Club chairman Chris Horn and State Rep. Andy Whitt (R-Harvest). After her signing of the pledge, Britt addressed the club, after which she was given a standing ovation. The meeting was well-attended, as approximately 300 people were at the prominent Huntsville gathering.
In a statement regarding her position, Britt pushed back against the lurch toward socialism.
“I’m proud to be the first to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge as a candidate in this important Senate race,” said Britt. “My pledge is simple: As Alabama’s next U.S. Senator, I will not support any tax increases. Today, I’m calling on my opponent to join me in making this commitment to the people of our great state.”
She added, “The federal government already gets too much of Alabamians’ hard-earned money. I want to put money back in the pockets of Alabama families, who know how to spend it better than the bureaucrats and career politicians in Washington. The corrosive tax-and-spend culture in D.C. continues to push our nation down the road towards socialism, and it’s time for the next generation to stand up and fight to preserve the American Dream for our children and our children’s children.”
ATR was founded in 1985 by tax reform advocate Grover Norquist at the request of President Ronald Reagan. According to the release, taxpayer advocacy organization opposes all tax increases as a matter of principle and believes in a system in which taxes are simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The Taxpayer Protection Pledge is ATR’s signature project.
Norquist released a video applauding Britt for her commitment to not support any tax increases in the U.S. Senate.
“We ask all candidates for federal office to commit to the citizens of their state to oppose any and all tax increases,” said Norquist. “Senator (Richard) Shelby took the pledge and kept it to the people of Alabama. And today Katie Britt is making that commitment in writing to all the taxpayers of Alabama to oppose tax increases. Only when tax increases are off the table do politicians ever get to reforming government to cost less. Katie Britt, thank you for your commitment to the American people and Alabama taxpayers.”
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
