- The Washington Times - Wednesday, August 21, 2024

CHICAGO — Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis was celebrating his party’s nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris for president, but he wasn’t celebrating her tax plan.

He said lowering the corporate tax rate has been an economic success in his state, though Ms. Harris wants to raise the rate at the national level if she wins the White House.

“We’ve seen success in Pennsylvania. We’ve continued to try to work in a bipartisan way to create a more business-friendly environment,” Mr. Davis told The Washington Times during the Democratic National Convention festivities inside the United Center.

Pennsylvania reduced its corporate tax rate by 1% in 2023 under a move that was so popular that Gov. Josh Shapiro — a Democrat who was on the shortlist to be Ms. Harris’ running mate — is trying to accelerate an already scheduled corporate tax rate reduction from 9.9% to 4.9%.

Mr. Davis said he thinks that lowering the corporate tax rate can spur the economy, but he didn’t want to extend that thought to Ms. Harris’ plan.

“I can’t speak on the national level,” he said.

Ms. Harris has advocated increasing the national corporate tax to 28% from the current 21% that was set by President Trump’s tax cuts in 2018.

Ms. Harris positioned herself as an ardent opponent of fracking, school vouchers and lowering corporate taxes, all issues championed by Mr. Shapiro in Pennsylvania.

Still, Mr. Davis said Ms. Harris would win the Keystone State, a critical Electoral College battleground because there is room in the party for people who disagree with her on those issues.

“Democrats are a big tent party,” he said. “Kamala Harris has proven time and time again throughout her entire career that she stood up for working-class Americans. I think as Pennsylvania voters see her more, get to know her more … she’s going to win Pennsylvania.”

He said the economy, abortion rights and gun violence are the issues that are going to tip Pennsylvania to Ms. Harris, criticizing former President Donald Trump, the GOP nominee, for not offering an economic vision in his speeches.

“Literally, every speech he gives revolves around insults,” Mr. Davis said. “He hasn’t given an economic speech. I think it’s the same old package wrapped in a different package.”

• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.

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