Fresh criticisms of the GOP tax bill emerged Tuesday from centrist and conservative Republicans following reports that the legislation would hike taxes on the middle class, as well as some wealthy Americans.<\/p>\n
Conservative Sen. Ted Cruz<\/a><\/span> (R-Texas) called raising taxes on people in high-tax, Democratic states like New York and California \u201ca mistake\u201d \u2014 a concern shared by Rep. Darrell Issa<\/a><\/span> (R-Calif.), who became the first Golden State Republican to reject the current House bill.<\/p>\n The conservative outside group Club for Growth also outlined four areas<\/a>that it objected to in the tax bill, including the addition of a fourth tax bracket for millionaires and the fact that the bill phases out the estate tax rather than quickly nixing it.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m undecided. We just want to see how the final bill shapes out. \u2026 On the business side, [it\u2019s] all good,\u201d said Rep. John Katko<\/a><\/span> (R-N.Y.), who was just elected co-chairman of the moderate Tuesday Group. Katko has concerns with the bill axing and paring back state and local tax (SALT) deductions that are popular in affluent blue states like New York, New Jersey and California.<\/p>\n \u201cAt first glance, it looks like it\u2019s not as bad as I thought,\u201d Katko said of the SALT impact. But \u201cuntil I get the final numbers, I can\u2019t make a final determination.\u201d<\/p>\n Issa echoed those remarks in an interview with The Hill, saying he backs the corporate tax changes but is opposed to the SALT impacts to his San Diego-area constituents and other Californians.<\/p>\n \u201cThe way it\u2019s being structured, it\u2019s unfair to California,\u201d Issa said just off the House floor. \u201cIn its current form, it clearly raises taxes on some people, including in my state.\u201d<\/p>\n But centrist Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.), one of the most vocal opponents of changes to the SALT deduction, said Tuesday he was now prepared to vote for the bill.<\/p>\n He said he was satisfied with a compromise leaders struck with him and other SALT advocates that would preserve the state and local property tax deduction up to a $10,000 cap.<\/p>\n \u201cI am in the yes column,\u201d MacArthur told reporters. \u201cThis is going to be good for the state of New Jersey. I\u2019ll continue to work to make it better, but I intend to support the bill.<\/p>\n \u201cNobody has demonstrated to me that taxes go up.\u201d<\/p>\n MacArthur said he was continuing to seek other improvements to the bill, such as setting the mortgage deduction cap at $750,000, linking it to inflation and allowing it to apply to second homes.<\/p>\n On the other end of the spectrum, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, described himself as an \u201cundecided lean yes.\u201d<\/p>\n He\u2019s pushing for reducing the rates of all tax brackets, including for the wealthiest individuals, maintaining the adoption tax credit and applying the tax cuts retroactively.<\/p>\n Biggs voted against the GOP\u2019s ObamaCare repeal bill earlier this year, but he said he still could back the tax legislation even if his proposals aren’t included.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we need to do so much better on the individual side,\u201d Biggs told The Hill. \u201cI\u2019m undecided at this point. But I think a lot of people are raising the same issues that I\u2019m raising.\u201d<\/p>\n GOP leaders are scrambling to wrap up support for their tax-code overhaul, a long-held aspiration of Speaker Paul Ryan<\/a><\/span> (R-Wis.), who is also under considerable pressure to secure a legislative victory for President Trump after the failure of ObamaCare repeal earlier in the year.<\/p>\n The House Ways and Means Committee completed its second day of a marathon markup on Tuesday, and Ryan has set a Thanksgiving deadline for considering the bill on the floor. GOP leaders are trumpeting the package as a boon for the middle class, providing the average family of four with a $1,182 tax cut.<\/p>\n \u201cThat goes a long ways to bring them relief, to bring them peace of mind,\u201d Ryan told reporters.<\/p>\n Complicating the effort, a series of independent studies<\/a> have emerged in recent days indicating that millions of middle-class families would be hit with tax increases under the House proposal, particularly when certain benefits are phased out after several years.<\/p>\n Democrats have pounced, accusing Republicans of dishonoring the central promise of their tax-reform push: that the changes would provide across-the-board relief to working families.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a lie,\u201d said Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.).<\/p>\n