BY PAUL BARTON
Enquirer Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- When Americans get married, they too often have to say "I do" to an income tax penalty, House Republicans said Thursday as they made elimination of the so-called marriage penalty a key part of their newest budget plan.
Rep. John Boehner, R-West Chester and other House Republican leaders unveiled a budget plan for years 1999-2003 that also proposes to trim $100 billion in federal spending over five years and dedicate expected budget surpluses to saving Social Security and paying down national debt.
Mainly because of the strength of the economy, the budget surplus for this year is expected to be $43 billion to $63 billion.
The specifics of the spending cuts are yet to be worked out.
House Speaker Newt Gingrich is going to appoint members to look for areas to cut, but House leaders say both discretionary programs and entitlements would be affected.
In addition, they portrayed the $100 billion as a reduction in the growth of federal spending, rather than actual cuts.
The Congressional Budget Office says 21 million couples pay an average of $1,400 a year more in federal income taxes than they would if they were living together unmarried.
In addition to Mr. Boehner, many other Tristate members have also sponsored measures to eliminate the marriage penalty, including Reps. Rob Portman, R-Terrace Park; Steve Chabot, R-Cincinnati; and Jim Bunning, R-Southgate.
