Statement Of James L. Martin, Cost Of Government Day Press Conference, House Triangle, June 27,2002, 2pm

Washington, D.C.—We at the 60 Plus Association realize how heavy this tax burden is, especially for senior citizens as well as for their children and grandchildren in the working force. 60 Plus is especially working hard to lower the cost of government, notably by driving a stake in the heart of the cruelest, meanest, and most unnecessary of all taxes– the federal estate or ‘death’ tax.

Despite President Bush’s strong support to make repeal of the death tax permanent, and the support of a majority of the House and Senate members to do likewise, including more than 60 Democrats, we saw just recently that Senator Daschle (D-SD) frustrated the will of the majority by requiring 60 votes, not 51 for repeal. We will be back again and again. You see, Senator Daschle, you will hear from a lot of seniors who are hopping mad at you, many proclaiming that they’re too old to wait 10 long years for the phase out of the death tax.”We hope next year at this time that we will have achieved permanent repeal of the federal death tax. And by doing so, we will lighten the burden on all taxpayers, especially senior citizens.