Wasserman-Schultz Pitches Payroll Tax Cut Extension

DANIA BEACH, Fla. (CBSMiami.com) – Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz was in Dania Beach Monday morning to renew her call for an extension to the payroll tax cut for all working Americans.

Wasserman-Schultz’s visit to Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlour & Restaurant was to show the impact the tax cut has on everyday Americans, according to the Congresswoman.

“This is not the time over the holidays to put less money in the pockets of Americans,” Wasserman-Schultz said. “Money that could be spent on the economy.”

For waitress Cayce Parker, who’s also a single-mother, the loss of the money would be devastating.

“A thousand dollars might as well be a million dollars,” Parker said.

The visit also came as Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid put the finishing touches on his proposed “compromise” to extend the tax cut.

Last week, plans to extend the cut from both parties were rejected by the Senate. Democrats in the Senate proposed paying for the plan with a new tax on millionaires and billionaires. Republicans voted that proposal down.

Republicans countered by paying for the tax cut by freezing federal salaries for the next four years, which Democrats voted down.

The details of Reid’s plan have not been released, but are expected to be revealed this week.

Initially, Republicans refused to back the payroll tax cut championed by President Barack Obama.

However, as the 2012 election gets rolling, the fear of being on the wrong side of the fight has GOP leadership working to make an extension possible.

The only question remaining will be how to pay for the extension.

If Congress fails to act by December 31, the payroll tax will expire and will cost American families on average, roughly $1,000 a year, according to Reuters.