Republican Forum Aims to Educate Oregon State U. Students on Tax Cuts

In hopes of informing the public on president George W. Bush’s tax plan, the Oregon State University College Republicans held a forum Wednesday in MU 213.

Bush’s tax-cut plan, which was submitted to Congress Tuesday night, is an attempt to return money to taxpayers over a period of 10 years.

Russ Walker, director of the Citizens for a Sound Economy, discussed the tax cut and how he feels it would improve our economy.

“America has not had a major tax cut since 1981,” Walker said. “Since then we have had five major tax increases.”

CSE is an activist committee dedicated to the well-being of American consumers through what it feels are common-sense economic policies.

One tax that Walker believes is unfair is the “death tax.” In other words, if one’s estate is worth more then $ 650,000, then the beneficiary could get half of the property taxed.

Walker said that the death tax is a leading factor as to why small businesses and farms never make it in the U.S. economy.

“The death tax is anti-job. Seventy percent of businesses never make it past the first generation,” Walker said. “It’s an attack on American values.”

The meeting wound down with a question and answer forum and what Walker called “tactics” for educating people on the tax plan.

Walker wants to let the public know that they can help pass this bill by taking action.

“Start a tax-cut petition, write a letter to the editor, send letters or e-mails to Congress and do not neglect the district offices,” Walker said.

Mike Kingsella, a junior in sociology and vice president of Outreach and Community Development, agrees with the tax cut and believes that the meeting was well put together and very informative.

“This event and those that will happen in the future will really create more of an awareness, and hopefully we will get more support for Bush’s tax plan or at least an understanding,” Kingsella said.

Lee Vasche, a sophomore in political science and the president of the OSU College Republicans, feels that the meeting was a great way to inform the public on the tax plan.

“People don’t really hear the right truth on what the tax cut is going to do, ” Vasche said.

“And through our position we are going to try and educate the students as to why we need a tax cut, and how it is going to effect them,” he added.