August 2, 2007, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Barack Obama (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) introduced legislation to reward companies with a 1% income tax break that produce ninety percent of goods and services in the U.S., pay a living wage ($7.80 per hour), provide health benefits to at least 60% of employees, and support their employees when they are called to active duty. The Patriot Employer Act of 2007 would provide a tax credit to companies that make a commitment to American workers.
“Instead of providing incentives for employers to outsource and move their headquarters overseas, we should encourage corporations to be patriot employers that create good jobs with good benefits for American workers,” said Senator Obama.
“The Patriot Corporation Act would reward companies that invest in our nation and its workers,” said Congresswoman Schakowsky. “Americans have had enough of businesses offshoring jobs and skirting the law to increase their bottom line. We must stop rewarding outsourcers and tax dodgers, and make corporations earn their tax incentives by investing in America and American workers. Our bill will create a new patriotic corporate ethic in America that unites workers and their employers in the mutual goal of building a stronger, more prosperous democratic business sector to compete in the twenty-first century global economy.”
This is a nice first go, but how about adding a payroll tax benefit for corporations that do not outsource jobs. Currently, employers are forced to pay taxes on those they employ. The tax makes it more expensive to create jobs in the U.S; why not eliminate it all together? It's time to stop taxing the things that keep our economy robust and to start taxing those that drag on the economy - like pollution and waste.