Bay Area Reps Vote 'No' on Tax Deal (The Bay Citizen) 12/17/10
By Aaron Glantz|December 17, 2010 12:28 p.m.
Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) was the only member of the Bay Area's Congressional delegation to vote for the tax deal worked out between President Obama and Congressional Republicans.
Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), Mike Honda (D-Campbell), Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose), George Miller (D-Martinez), Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma), Mike Thompson (St. Helena), John Garamendi (D-Walnut Creek), Pete Stark (D-Fremont), Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo) and Anna Eshoo (D-Palo Alto) all voted against it.
Most local members of Congress said they voted against the deal because it continued huge tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans at a time of a mounting budget deficient and great suffering for lower and middle income constituents (the deal also continued Bush-era tax cuts for lower income Americans and extended unemployment benefits that would have otherwise expired).
Rep. Stark's stament explaining his vote was typical:
"Santa Claus is arriving early for a handful of wealthy individuals and industries this year. Wall Street should be throwing a parade today. They can certainly afford one after the President failed to uphold one of his signature campaign promises of letting tax breaks for the rich expire as planned."
Outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) who worked to modify the deal before bringing it to her colleagues for a vote, gave a speech on the floor of the House both praising and condemning it.
“Members will have to make up their mind as to how we go forward on the bill," she said. (As Speaker of the House, Pelosi did not vote on the measure).
The Bay Area's votes were not needed to pass the tax deal. It passed with an overwhelming 277 to 148 votes.
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