“People are, frankly, having a hard time paying to get to work,” Campbell said. “Let people keep more of their money when they are hurting.”
Campbell said it would be up to the Internal Revenue Service to determine how the deductions would be compiled, such as a log book or receipts, but he added they do not intend to have a distinction between cars ranging in mileage. The congressman also doesn’t expect the tax break to affect gas prices even if it does shift demand.
Steve Young, the Democratic candidate challenging Campbell, questions the timing of Campbell’s bill and the necessity of his news conference.
A bill that could ask the government to give millions in tax breaks isn’t affordable while the country is facing a massive deficit, and it doesn’t address the oil crisis the country is facing, Young said.
“Anything that gives working families a break is great, but this is a Band-Aid for a heart attack,” Young said. “Press conferences are for when you come up with a solution to the problem.”
Campbell agrees with Young the bill isn’t a solution and added it will take a combination of various resources, such as offshore drilling, alternative fuels and conservation, to address the problems ahead.
“It is a Band-Aid,” Campbell said. “But people are bleeding, and we need a Band-Aid until we heal the wound.”
Campbell argued bills like the tax break aren’t what created the deficit, but spending was to blame. He added that he and others have been working to curb that spending.
Despite Young’s remarks, Campbell believes the bill will attract bipartisan support.
To illustrate how the bill would help, Campbell brought Kay Kearney to speak at the news conference.
