THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 10, 1996 TAG: 9604100354
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By TONY WHARTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
Sen. John Warner, R-Va., said Tuesday that tax reform is coming, but it shouldn't eliminate the home mortgage interest and charitable tax deductions.
Warner criticized James C. Miller III, his opponent for the Republican nomination, for supporting a ``flat tax'' concept that would do away with those deductions.
But Miller's campaign said Warner is mistaken and that Miller is not trying to eliminate those deductions.
Warner said tax reform is real, not just a political football launched by former presidential candidate Steve Forbes. Congress should pass a tax reform package in 1997, he said.
``You will definitely see it,'' Warner said. ``The American people are demanding it. Congress had better get the message. We will rewrite the tax code.''
If Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., is elected president, Warner said, next year will be the best time to tackle the problem because it has risen to the top of the public's agenda.
Flanked by state Dels. Thelma Drake and Bob Purkey, Warner said removing the home mortgage interest deduction would be bad for the economy and counter to American values.
Yet Miller's campaign said Warner is trying to create a controversy where none exists.
``John Warner knows better than that,'' said Bill Kling, deputy campaign manager for Miller. ``This is a bugaboo that John Warner is using. The fact is that Jim Miller has come up with a proposal that does away with that bugaboo.''
Kling said Miller favors allowing taxpayers to choose either the current tax code or a new flat tax rate that would save most taxpayers money. by CNB