Political Action Arm of Nation's Largest Taxpayer Group Takes Aim at 'Taxing Ten' Congressional Candidates

    ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- High-taxers beware -- the
 National Taxpayers Union Campaign Fund (NTUCF), the political action arm of
 the 300,000-member National Taxpayers Union (NTU), today released its "Taxing
 Ten" list of Congressional candidates the group has targeted for defeat this
 November.
     "These tax-and-spend candidates may be dreaming of gaining or keeping a
 seat in Congress, but from a taxpayer's standpoint they would be Washington's
 worst nightmares," said NTUCF President John Berthoud. "We're working hard to
 ensure that voters wake up to the dismal records of the 'Taxing Ten' before
 they go to the polls."
     Although NTUCF has been active in dozens of key House and Senate races
 this year, those appearing on the group's "Taxing Ten" list were selected for
 their egregiously anti-taxpayer records in Congress or in other elected posts.
 NTUCF is planning special outreach and public education efforts in the
 districts or states of these candidates.
     "Whether they are challengers or incumbents, all members of NTUCF's
 'Taxing Ten' have one thing in common: their election would be a disaster for
 overburdened taxpayers," Berthoud concluded. "They are the candidates we most
 hope to keep out of Congress -- and out of the American taxpayers' pockets."
     NTUCF is the political action arm of the National Taxpayers Union, the
 nation's largest grassroots taxpayer organization. National Taxpayers Union,
 founded in 1969, created the NTU Campaign Fund in 1994. Endorsement decisions
 at NTUCF are made by a unanimous vote on a non-partisan basis by a six-member
 committee that includes two Democrats, three Republicans, and one Independent.
     A list of NTUCF's "Taxing Ten" follows.
 
                               The "Taxing Ten":
             Congressional Candidates Targeted for Defeat by NTUCF
 
     1)  U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), whose sham Balanced Budget Amendment
 "substitute" needlessly delayed progress on the real Amendment in 1997. Reid
 received an "F" on NTU's 1997 Rating of Congress, which examined every roll
 call vote affecting fiscal policy (a total of 138 Senate votes). His opponent,
 U.S. Rep. John Ensign, earned an "A" grade that year for his record on 171
 House fiscal policy votes.
 
     2)  U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), another "F" recipient who has voted
 for hundreds of billions of dollars in tax increases during her career. Her
 opponent, Matt Fong, has pledged to oppose tax hikes.
 
     3)  U.S. Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-SC), who has flip-flopped on the Balanced
 Budget Amendment despite overwhelming support for the measure from his state's
 voters. Hollings' most recent NTU Rating grade was an "F," while his
 challenger, U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis, earned an "A."
     4)  U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), a key supporter of budget-busting
 national health care schemes and a vocal opponent of constitutional tax and
 spending limits. His challenger, Gene Ward, has pledged to vote for both a
 Balanced Budget Amendment and a Tax Limitation Amendment that would require
 2/3 majorities in Congress to raise taxes.
 
     5)  Ft. Wayne Mayor Paul Helmke (R), whose city budgets have proposed 11
 significant income, property, and business tax hikes during his tenure. His
 opponent for Indiana's Senate seat, former Gov. Evan Bayh (D), has pledged to
 vote for the Balanced Budget Amendment.
 
     6)  U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), another "F" earner on NTU's Rating. Her
 challenger, U.S. Rep. Linda Smith, helped to pass the state's beneficial tax
 and expenditure limit in 1993 and has voted for lower taxes and less spending
 while in the House.
 
     7)  U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), whose opposition to tax relief and
 support for higher spending earned him an "F" grade in 1997. His opponent,
 U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann, has earned "A" grades from NTU every year since his
 election to the House.
 
     8)  U.S. Rep. Charles Schumer (D-NY), a staunch opponent of the Balanced
 Budget Amendment who earned an "F" on NTU's 1997 Rating. U.S. Sen. Al D'Amato,
 the incumbent, consistently scores better when NTU rates Congress.
 
     9)  U.S. Rep. Lane Evans (D-IL), whose NTU Rating has often ranked near
 the bottom of his state's Congressional delegation. Mark Baker (R), his
 opponent has pledged to reverse this tax-and-spend philosophy.
 
     10)  U.S. Rep. George Brown (D-CA), a long-time "Big Spender" who has
 turned in "F" grades every year since NTU began issuing them in 1992. His
 opponent, Elia Pirozzi, has promised to limit taxes and spending.
 
 

SOURCE  National Taxpayers Union Campaign Fund