Capitol Hill Press Conference
House Triangle, 2 p.m., May 3, 2001
Contact: Hugh Newton

SENIORS CALL FOR END TO EARNINGS LIMIT
Statement by 60 Plus Association President Jim Martin

Washington, D.C.–The 60 Plus Association, representing more than a half million senior citizens, has long sought repeal of unfair taxes on senior citizens.

Last year Congress repealed the tax imposed on seniors in the 65-69 age group. Now’s the time to give the same break to hard working seniors in the 62-64 age bracket. Repeal of this tax is a significant step toward fulfilling the 60 Plus slogan, ‘Tax Fairness for Seniors.’

This tax was imposed in the Depression-era 1930’s, to create job openings for younger workers when unemployment was at 25%. And while the limit might have made sense then, it makes no sense now, not with jobs going begging.

In the 62-64 age range, if you earn over $10, 680 a year, it takes away $1 out of every two dollars in benefits, effectively a 50% levy. This penalty hurts senior citizens who have to continue working to make ends meet.

60 Plus especially commends Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX), Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO), and Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX), the chief sponsor of repeal legislation.

This tax has outlived its time. It’s bad public policy and should be repealed.

I would now like to introduce a couple of ladies, both age 63, who are affected by this tax, to tell their own personal stories. First, Marva Dash and then we’ll hear from Marilyn Landrum.

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60 Plus is a nine-year-old non-profit, nonpartisan group with a less government, less taxes approach to seniors’ issues. 60 Plus is supported by voluntary donations from its 500,000 citizen lobbyists to print and mail millions of letters, petitions and voting indexes. 60 Plus publishes a newsletter, SENIOR VOICE, and a SCORECARD, bestowing a GUARDIAN OF SENIORS’ RIGHTS award on lawmakers in both parties who vote “pro-senior.” 60 Plus has been called “an increasingly influential lobbying group for the elderly…”