One of the candidates for the First District Congressional seat says it’s not right to couple a hike in the federal minimum wage to an inheritance- tax break for multi-million-dollar estates. Democrat Bruce Braley says he would have voted against a bill approved by the House that raises minimum wage from five-dollars-fifteen cents an hour to 7-25 an hour, and also extends several tax breaks.
“What I want is for the American people to get a straightforward vote on increasing the minimum wage, which they deserve.” Braley says combining the estate-tax break with the minimum pay for the country’s lowest-paid workers is making up a “Christmas wish list.”
And the Democratic congressional candidate says this bill is no compromise, it’s Republican “log-rolling.” He says it forces the other side “to deal with an issue in a way that they shouldn’t have to.” Braley says the combined bill is “basically a hoax on the 6-point-6-million people who would get a raise if minimum wage was increased, in exchange for giving a huge tax break to only 7,500 of the richest households in America.”
Braley says it would raise the already-massive federal deficit by more than 700-billion dollars, but adds he doesn’t think there’s much chance the bill will pass the senate. He made stops today (Tuesday) in Bettendorf and Dubuque. Braley is running against Republican Mike Whalen for the first-district seat being vacated by Congressman Jim Nussle, who’s running for governor.