Skip to main content

Rep. LaMalfa Comments on Tax Day

April 15, 2013

Washington, DC – Redding, CA – Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) released the following statement on Tax Day:

“Today, as millions of hard-working taxpayers across the country file their income taxes, Washington’s spending problem could not be more clear.

The President’s tax, spend, and over-regulate policies penalize productive work, hinder economic growth and are keeping millions from finding work. While House Republicans have introduced a balanced budget plan, the President’s proposal never balances – even with hundreds of billions of dollars in new taxes.

“As a small business owner, I know the challenges that irresponsible fiscal policies place on Americans. It is time for the federal government to get out of the way of small business owners, startup companies, and entrepreneurs in our communities and all over the country so that we can finally get our economy back on track and begin creating jobs.”

While borrowing trillions of dollars over the past four years, the Obama administration has failed to ensure that the money is used wisely. The following are just a few examples of waste and misuse of taxpayer dollars:

  • $2.2 billion on a free cell phone program with little oversight. An FCC audit found that at least 269,000 wireless recipients were receiving free service with two or more phones.
  • $27 million on “Moroccan pottery classes” to improve Morocco’s economic competitiveness.
  • $327,000 on robot squirrels to research rattlesnake hunting techniques.
  • $666,000 on a government-run study of television reruns.
  • $350,000 National Science Foundation study which found that golfers were more successful when they envisioned a bigger hole on the green.
  • Nearly $1 million was spent on a study that concluded male fruit flies are more attracted to young females than to older ones.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.