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GOP celebrates early tax victory

Political Notebook

Local Republican lawmakers celebrated as their sweeping tax reform passed the House, but readers could be forgiven for feeling like they’ve seen this before.

House Republicans passed the so-called Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on Thursday in a 227-205 vote, clearing a key hurdle as they race to pass corporate cuts and reshape the tax code. Local representatives — Rep. Bill Shuster, R-9th District, Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-5th District, and Rep. Keith Rothfus,

R-12th District — all voted in favor as just a handful of GOP members defected.

“Today is a historic day for hard working Americans,” Shuster said in a written statement. “The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will lower the burden on middle class families and small businesses in Pennsylvania and give the American economy a much needed shot in the arm.”

But the reality is more complicated, with some taxpayers set to win and others to lose under the initial plan.

In a news release, Shuster cited positive statistics: Tens of thousands of 9th District residents would benefit from a larger child tax credit or a lower small business rate, he said.

But the bill could have other, longer-term implications. Because the bill increases the deficit, congressional rules called PAYGO could require equivalent cuts to federal programs like Medicare — $25 billion in the first year to Medicare and more as time goes on, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

While cuts that size wouldn’t necessarily cripple programs like Medicare, they could have an outsized effect in areas like western and central Pennsylvania, where many older people rely on entitlement programs. Pennsylvania is among the states with the highest Medicare enrollment nationwide, and rural areas often rely on Medicaid funding to keep already short doctor supplies from dwindling.

Congress could waive those cuts, but that would require Democrats to sign on — something far from guaranteed, especially if refusal could make the Republican plan politically unpalatable.

That situation might provoke memories of the health care battle earlier this year, in which Senate Republicans struggled to unite even after a plan passed the House. A separate Senate tax plan — with many differences from its House counterpart — is being fast-tracked, as well, and Republicans have said they’re under intense pressure from donors to get something done.

For now, House Republicans appear satisfied that they’ve got the ball out of their hands. And in the meantime, the party has thrown in another goal: Repealing the Affordable Care Act mandate that Americans get health insurance.

By rolling a repeal of the so-called individual mandate into tax reform, Republicans could accomplish two of their goals at once. But that could ultimately leave fewer people insured and throw a wrench into the already complicated tax process.

Still, conservative senators like Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., have forcefully defended the idea.

Calling the mandate “an outrageous and unconstitutional infringement on personal freedom,” Toomey embraced the idea that slashing Obamacare would be tantamount to another tax cut.

“Want to talk about a middle-income tax cut — it’s the people who can’t afford these unaffordable plans who will no longer be punished with this tax,” he said. “That is all we do (in the bill).”

‘Peter Falk’s law’ moves forward

A bill with a curious name and a serious effect on some families passed the state Senate last week, marking a small victory for Sen. John H. Eichelberger Jr.’s nearly year-old effort.

A proposal for “Peter Falk’s law” — named after the late star of the 1970s detective series “Columbo” — made its way through the Senate in a 49-0 vote Wednesday. The bill would open visitation for relatives of patients incapacitated by illness, making it harder for angry or vindictive family members to cut off access, Eichelberger said in a memo.

The law would presume loved ones’ access to incapacitated patients, basing permission on their past relationship with the ill person. The bill’s name and inspiration came from the actor, Eichelberger said, whose wife restricted access to his daughter in his final years battling Alzheimer’s.

“I don’t believe the average person can, or should have to, go through an expensive court battle just to see their loved ones,” Eichelberger wrote. “The legislation will provide that a guardian cannot restrict visitation between family members and the incapacitated person without first obtaining a court order.”

Irvin gets fresh GOP challenge

Ever since state Rep. Rich Irvin, R-Huntingdon, took office amid a bitter Republican divide in 2015, primary fights seem to have followed him.

While his Blair County counterparts seem to cruise to re-election, Irvin faces his second primary challenger in as many elections, with district resident Heath Himes announcing a bid to unseat the representative.

Himes, who works as a reporter for the Huntingdon Daily News, formally opened his campaign at a Friday event after announcing his plans in the press.

“It’s time that we rid our lawmaking body of career politicians and vote for young energetic people committed to honest service, hard work and fiscal responsibility,” Himes said in a video announcement.

Irvin’s challenge comes after he bested fellow Republican Mary Ann Buckley in 2016, then defeated Democrat Rick Rogers in the general election. He took office after defeating former GOP representative Mike Fleck in a sometimes-bitter yearlong fight that the spanned primary and general election.

Ryan Brown can be reached at rbrown@altoonamirror.com.

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