Congress and Bishop Wrong to Give Tax Rebates to Illegal Aliens

SHIRLEY, NY (01/30/2008)(readMedia)-- The Economic Stimulus Package voted on by the House of Representatives, which my opponent voted in favor of, allows illegal aliens to receive tax rebates. I support an economic stimulus plan over no plan at all, but it is entirely unacceptable as constituted because of numerous flaws beginning with the incredulous illegal alien loophole.

Further, the bill amounts to a slap in the face in that teachers, law enforcement officials, landscapers and other Middle Class Long Islanders bringing home between $75,000-$90,000 individually and couples between $150,000- $180,000 will not receive the rebate while individuals paying no income tax and illegal aliens can expect a tax rebate in the mail.

On principle, a true leader recognizes that everything is against him yet bravely votes in the best interest of his constituency. Because of this, I am dismayed that time and again that my opponent consistently favors blind loyalty over his role as Representative.

Reforming America’s immigration crisis remains one of my top campaign priorities. As any New Yorker knows, talk is cheap and votes in Congress best reflect the quality of the individuals we elect to serve. With this in mind, I strongly urge Congress to change the wording of the package to explicitly state that Illegal Aliens Will Not Receive Tax Rebates.

As Congressman, I could never vote for the bill without this provision and properly represent the hardworking families of Eastern Long Island. Further, the income caps must reflect the notoriously high costs of living on Long Island. For starters, instead of giving tax rebates to individuals paying no income tax, we should provide the rebates to the hard working, blue collar, Middle Class Americans making more than $75,000.

A $75,000 income on Long Island just doesn’t have the spending power of $75,000 in Arizona, Florida or Iowa. Individuals making $85,000 on Long Island or Los Angeles or Washington—among other major metropolitan areas—should receive tax rebates that properly reflect the higher costs of living. The Federal Government already accounts for these differences in the way it pays civil servants, why should tax benefits work otherwise?

Mr. Bishop, this isn’t the First Congressional District of North Carolina and this isn’t the First Congressional District of New Mexico—and it most certainly isn’t Speaker Pelosi’s Eighth Congressional District of California. This is the First Congressional District of New York. My family and fellow homeowners continue to struggle while our peers and elders flee Long Island at record rates. We’re tired of this added taxation without competent representation.

Mr. Bishop, fix the legislation this week; stay the weekend in D.C. if you have to. Issuing checks to illegal aliens, especially those on Eastern Long Island, will only serve as another vehicle to drain our tax rolls, adding to the burden of honest Americans.

Long Island’s Future Begins Now!

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Paid for by Lee Zeldin for Congress