State Rep. John Shaban, the Republican challenger in Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District, says he has a plan to keep more federal tax dollars in Connecticut. Shaban made the announcement in front of Bridgeport City Hall on Tuesday.
Shaban says that if elected, he would introduce a bill in Congress to allow a 200 percent federal tax deduction on certain in-state donations. He says the donations would be for an education fund, a transportation fund, and an urban redevelopment fund. He says this would benefit cities like Bridgeport.
“If a middle income or wealthy wants to donate whatever, it is 100 bucks or a million whatever it is, at least they have the reassurance that every cent that they are donating is going to be used locally, if they are paying that on taxes, there is no guarantee where it’s going to go,” Shaban said.
Shaban wouldn’t say how much he expects to raise this way, but he says the bill would pass in Congress because it’s similar to proposals already made by Republican Speaker Paul Ryan.
Shaban’s Democratic opponent is four-term incumbent Jim Himes. His campaign says Shaban’s proposal is wasteful and would be unlikely to find support on either side of the aisle in Congress because it requires $2 in taxpayer money for every dollar donated.
