Northeast Indiana veterans and residents shared their worries over the new federal tax overhaul during Jim Banks’ town hall at Fort Wayne’s VFW Post 857 Tuesday.
Questions almost immediately turned to the overhaul passed in December, a measure Banks voted in favor of. One constituent said he voted for Reagan and Bush due to their promises to improve small businesses and the economy, but never saw the benefits.
He says he’s tired of financial promises by Republican officeholders that aren’t coming true. Banks says this skepticism toward the tax overhaul is rooted in partisanship.
“I think it’s absolutely a partisan response," Banks said. "There were Democrats against it because it was a Republican-led initiative, Republicans who believe wholeheartedly in tax reform.”
He says the impact of the tax plan is already being seen nationally.
“From Walmart to Apple, you’re seeing major companies reinvest, bring money, expatriate money back to the United States," he said. "You’re seeing a big tax cut that 90 percent of Americans will see more money in their paychecks in January.”
Indeed, Walmart provided raises and bonuses to some employees, citing the tax plan. Banks did not provide an opportunity to touch on Walmart’s closure of 63 Sam’s Club stores nationwide in the aftermath of the move.
Banks held another town hall in Huntington earlier Wednesday morning; he will hold one more this week, at the Fabiani Theatre in Angola Thursday at 1:30 pm.
