THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 3, 1996 TAG: 9604030444
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
James C. Miller III, who faces Republican Sen. John W. Warner in a June 11 primary, signed a pledge Tuesday to vote against any federal income tax increase if he is elected.
Miller signed the same pledge two years ago, when he unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination to run against Democratic Sen. Charles S. Robb.
``I take this step with every commitment to protect Virginians from a federal tax increase,'' Miller said as he scrawled his signature at the bottom of an enlarged copy of the pledge.
Americans for Tax Reform began asking candidates for federal office to sign its Taxpayer Protection Pledge in 1986. Grover Norquist, president of the Washington-based organization, said Warner is not among the 238 members of Congress who have signed.
Warner does not sign pledges on taxes or any other issue, spokesman Eric Peterson said.
``Those are nice political publicity stunts, but it's the record of action that's more important,'' he said. ``It's best not to play the hypothetical, but deal with the reality.''
Peterson said Warner has consistently supported tax relief and opposed tax increases, except when Presidents Bush and Reagan ``found themselves faced with extraordinary economic circumstances and asked for his help.''
Miller, a former Reagan administration budget director, said the federal government already is taking too much money from citizens. He said the typical Virginian must work 82 days each year to pay federal taxes.
``The federal government is too large, it wastes too much, and it is not always prudent,'' Miller said. ``Giving it more money won't solve those problems.''
He also said the pledge does not conflict with his support of a flat tax, which he said would save the typical tax filer about $1,000 a year.
Warner has criticized the flat tax because it would eliminate deductions for mortgage interest and charitable donations. Miller said he envisions allowing citizens to figure their taxes both ways and pay the lower amount.
``The beauty of the flat tax is supposed to be simplification,'' Peterson said. ``Where's the simplification in that?'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS photo<
James C. Miller III, who signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge on
Tuesday, said, ``I take this step with every commitment to protect
Virginians from a federal tax increase.''
by CNB