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Americans for Prosperity Applauds U.S. Representative Tom McClintock

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, April 23, 2009:
Contact: Phil Kerpen (202) 349-5880 or David Spady (805) 427-4424

Americans for Prosperity Applauds U.S. Representative Tom McClintock

-Signs No Climate Tax Pledge-

CAMARILLO-The California chapter of the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-CA) today applauded U.S. Representative Tom McClintock (4th District) for signing the group’s “No Climate Tax Pledge.” By doing so, McClintock joins over 100 lawmakers on the federal, state and local levels pledging to “oppose legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.”

“The one thing elected officials should be able to agree on is that global warming shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hike taxes on citizens and businesses,” said AFP-CA State Director David Spady. “We encourage all of California’s elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign the pledge.”

President Obama has made no secret of his intent to advance the cap-and-trade legislation, which would amount to the largest tax increase in American history. One version of the scheme, introduced last year by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA), is scored by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office as a net revenue increase of $1.2 trillion within just the first 7 years the bill is in effect.

“Using the guise of climate change to transfer dollars from hard-working citizens to bureaucratic big government is unacceptable,” said Spady. “Regardless of their stance on global warming, this should be common ground for all of our elected officials at all levels of government.”

A recession is the worst time possible to raise taxes and further stress family and businesses’ budgets. California stands to lose up to 450,000 jobs by 2030 and a reduction in gross state product of up to $86.9 billion per year, in the same period. Additionally, gas and electricity prices would soar over 151 percent and 49 percent respectively, according to a study of the Lieberman-Warner bill by the American Council on Capital Formation.

The pledge is available online at www.NoClimateTax.com. AFP does not endorse candidates. All elected officials and candidates are encouraged to sign the pledge and go on the record in opposition to using the climate change issue to increase taxes and grow the size of government.

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is the nation’s premier grassroots organization committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

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