Huckabee Signs No Tax Pledge

Mike Huckabee released the following statement which confirms that if he is elected President, he will not support the raising of income taxes at the Federal level.

Little Rock, AR – Mike Huckabee officially delivered a signed Presidential Taxpayer Protection Pledge to Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) President Grover Norquist during ATR’s “Wednesday Meeting” in Washington, D.C. this morning.

The former governor announced he would sign the pledge on Friday, March 2, 2007 at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference.

“Having already been a longtime supporter of ending the death tax and cutting 90 taxes while governor, it was not difficult to pledge not to raise the income tax rates at the federal level,” Huckabee said.

By signing the pledge, Huckabee agreed to “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses … and oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.”

“We applaud Governor Huckabee for signing the Presidential Taxpayer Protection Pledge,” Norquist said. “Governor Huckabee recognizes that the challenge is to rein in spending and reduce taxes.”

Huckabee is a fiscal conservative who passed Arkansas’ first broad-based tax cut package in state history. During his ten and a half years as Governor, he cut taxes more than 90 times, saving taxpayers almost $380 million. He doubled the child care tax credit and eliminated the marriage penalty from the tax code. He also cut welfare rolls by nearly 50 percent while balancing the state budget.

Huckabee formed a Presidential Exploratory Committee for a potential 2008 White House bid after departing office earlier this year.

ATR has sponsored the Taxpayer Protection Pledge since 1986 and offered the Pledge to all candidates for federal office since 1987. The document is a written promise by legislators and candidates for office that commits them to oppose any effort to increase the federal income taxes on individuals and businesses.

“I continue to encourage every Presidential candidate to show their commitment to the U.S. taxpayer by signing the pledge,” Norquist said.