Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mandela Barnes released a new plan this week to cut taxes for the middle class and lower costs for working families. In a press release, Barnes said he would expand the child tax credit, the earned income tax credit, and other tax cuts “so the middle class families can keep more of what they earn.” To pay for the plan, Barnes said he’ll ensure “the wealthiest among us pay their fair share.” The plan also includes measures to boost Wisconsin manufacturing, strengthen unions, and invest in struggling communities by creating good-paying jobs and attracting and retaining skilled workers.
Claiming he’s “the only candidate who can authentically connect with the challenges working families are facing,” Barnes said “The truth is, we have a lot of out-of-touch millionaires in Washington who don’t feel the same urgency of the challenges of the people they’re elected to represent.” Key tenants of the plan include:
- Allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices;
- Increasing access to affordable, high-quality child care;
- Ending subsidies for oil and gas companies;
- Supporting the “Made in America Act” to ensure major federally funded projects benefit American business;
- Increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and indexing it to inflation; and
- Supporting the Protecting the Right to Organize Act.
In response to the plan, Tom Nelson, one of Barnes’ opponents for the Democratic nomination, tweeted “Tax credits are as progressive as it gets for a ‘hybrid candidate’… we need bold leaders who will take on tough issues and take real action.”
In addition to Nelson, Barnes will face off against Alex Lasry and Sarah Godlweski on August 9th in the Democratic partisan primary.
