Monday, March 14, 2005

2theadvocate.com: News - Breaux taking on a taxing task 03/13/05

2theadvocate.com: News - Breaux taking on a taxing task 03/13/05: "Breaux taking on a taxing task

By GERARD SHIELDS
gshields@theadvocate.com
Washington bureau

For former U.S. Sen. John Breaux, it's as if he never left the Senate. Breaux could be recently found behind the dais, receiving testimony from witnesses as vice chairman of President Bush's new tax reform commission.
The commission has held two meetings and will hold its third on March 23 in New Orleans before holding hearings in Chicago, San Francisco and Tampa.
Breaux acknowledges that his task is a little tougher than when he sat on the Senate Finance Committee or Special Aging Committee. Bush has asked the nine-member panel to revamp the nation's complicated 17,000-page tax code, while placing parameters on how far the panel can go.
Bush insists that the recommendations, due July 31, can't cost taxpayers more than they are now paying. In addition, the president wants to maintain mortgage interest deductions and charitable giving. Plus the president wants to make his 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent."

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