NEWARK, NJ – After a bombshell pronouncement by Republican Senator Rick Scott (R-Florida), the Chairman of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, that his party should seek to raise taxes on millions of low income working families, seniors, people with disabilities and other vulnerable communities, Congressman Donald Payne, Jr., (D-Newark) is condemning the GOP tax hike plan and vowing to stop it from being enacted.

“People in Essex, Hudson and Union counties are struggling right now, and the last thing they need is Republicans taking money out of their pockets with a cruel, unnecessary and offensive tax increase on working-class folks,” said Congressman Payne. “I was born and raised in the South Ward of Newark and I still live on the very same block, so I see the challenges low and middle-income people face every day trying to afford rent, food, medical care and other basic necessities. It’s disgusting that Republicans would even consider making life even harder for the people who need help the most, like our low income workers, single parents, seniors, people with disabilities and other vulnerable communities. I can promise my constituents one thing – this Republican tax increase on working-class families will only happen over my dead body.”

Congressman Payne is running for re-election to his sixth term in the House of Representatives and he has recently been endorsed by the New Jersey Education Association, the Communications Workers of America NJ, Laborers’ International North America Eastern Region, the New Jersey Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association and AFSCME NJ. He also recently announced the support of U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker as well as Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.