Candidate Offers Solution On Bush Era Tax Cut Debate

Whitesboro, NY (WIBX) - The Democrat running to replace Republican Congressman Richard Hanna made a campaign stop in Whitesboro today. Dan Lamb criticized Congress for being dysfunctional, and stressed the importance of compromise.  Lamb offered this solution on the debate about extending the Bush era tax cuts: "Instead of the Democrats insisting on 98-percent protection on the tax cuts and Republicans insisting on 100-percent of tax payers getting the benefits, lets go to 99-percent--that we extent the Bush tax cuts for 99-percent of tax payers."

Lamb says the compromise would move the taxable income limit to $400,000.00, instead of the $250,000.00 the President and Democrats are proposing. "Democrats say 98-percent, Republicans say 100-percent. If both parties were willing to give up 1-percent of what they want, we might be able to get a deal." he said. Democrats want to extend the Bush era tax cuts for 98-percent of income earners, while Republicans insist on keeping the tax cuts for all Americans. Lamb says his proposal means that every dollar earned in excess of $400,000.00, would be taxed at a rate of 4.6-percent higher than the current rate.

William Barry, member of the Whitestown Democratic Committee and former Chairman of the Oneida County Democratic Committee, says Lamb has a lot of experience dealing with Congress. "I like Dan Lamb for the simple reason: He's a pragmatist and he's got a lot of experience. He worked for Maurice Hinchey who was a very influential, very knowledgeable congressman and I think Dan has been with him for 13, 14 years, so he knows his way around, he knows the organizations, he knows how to get things done and I just think that he's the guy for the job." Hinchey is backing Lamb, his District Aide since 1998, after announcing his retirement in January.

Barry says Lamb's ideas on how to improve the lives of middle class people in the region is commendable. "He's looking to help out the middle class people and I don't see that in Congress today. I think there's a lot of things that Dan will bring to the table that is going to be very important to us," he said. When asked to share his thoughts about Hanna's first term in office, Barry said, "The sitting congressman is a nice guy... He's around, he sees a lot of people, I just don't see the progress that I'm expecting out of a congressman."

Hanna is facing two challengers this November for New York's newly redrawn 22nd Congressional District: Michael Kicinski Sr. and Dan Lamb. Kicinski lost the June 26 Republican Primary to Hanna but vowed to stay in the race as an independent candidate.

When asked about being confronted by Dr. Taras Herboway, head of Utica's Municipal Housing Authority during his last listening tour to the area, Dan said," That fellow would have me back. In fact, by the end of that visit we were pretty close friends. It's one of those things were you just got to make sure you're on the same page. Once we got our information straight with each other--it was nothing personal--and I left there feeling pretty impressed by what he's doing with his agency, and I think he might have been impressed with my knowledge of how public housing authority works."

WIBX had exclusive coverage of the confrontation captured on video.