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Howell Outlines Support for Cutting Debt, Deficit

U.S. Senate Candidate Scott Howell had a chance to explain to representatives of the business community this morning his position on the nation’s debt crisis. The Democrat was the only U.S. Senate candidate present at a forum hosted by the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce. GOP Incumbent Orrin Hatch declined to attend the gathering and third party candidates were not invited.

Howell says the federal government can increase revenue and cut spending by first supporting the Buffett rule, which is a $47 million tax increase on the nation’s wealthiest households.

“I think that everybody has to pay their fair share," Howell says. "I think the 73,000 pages of the IRS code that we currently have in place, we need to simplify that. I agree with Mitt Romney on this, we have to go through and look at every tax loophole there is.”

Wesley Smith is Executive Vice President of Government Relations for the Chamber. He says he was pleased with Howells support of a plan for reducing the national deficit and debt brought forward by former Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson and former Bill Clinton Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles.

“Throughout the business community, you’d find wide agreement that we need to be practical, work across the aisle, look at how we can broaden the tax base and generate more revenue and cut spending," Smith says. "That’s Simpson Bowls.”

The Senate forum was the last in a series of four candidate forums hosted by the Salt Lake Chamber.

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