Welle’s Tax Plan Would Increase Taxes For 21.3% of CD-4 Residents

Josh Welle, the progressive or centrist (depending on who he’s talking to) Democrat challenging Congressman Chris Smith in the fourth congressional district, proposed raising taxes on the top 5% of income earners yesterday during his appearance on FoxBusiness’s Cavuto: Coast to Coast.

The Welle Tax would impact 21.3% of the households in New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District, according to data provided by StatisticalAtlas.com.

Welle’s justification for his proposed tax increase is reminiscent of President Obama’s “You didn’t build that theme” from the 2012 presidential campaign.  He said the top 5% should pay more taxes because “their wealth was built on public goods,” “They were built on our roads, on our internet, on our school system, on our judiciary..”

CAVUTO: So you’re against those tax hikes? (Governor Murphy’s tax hikes)

WELLE: No. What I’m for, I’m for a tax hike for the top one percent or the top five percent in this country because their wealth was built on the backs of public goods. What I’m not in favor of in New Jersey—

CAVUTO: What do you mean their wealth was based on public goods?

WELLE: They were built on our roads, on our internet, on our school system, on our judiciary—I’ve been to 45 different countries—

CAVUTO: But you could argue that everybody’s been benefiting—

Welle said he would fight to rescind the limit on the SALT (state and local tax) deduction, something that Congressman Smith has already proposed, but the Welle Tax would increase taxes on more people in the district than the SALT deduction limit impacts negatively now.

Welle rolled his eyes, frowned, smirked, and shrugged his shoulders when Cavuto kept him on topic and prevented him from seguing into his stump speech.

Welle has been performing OK thus far in front of his friendly audiences with pre-screened questions and flash cards. He didn’t do so well with Cavuto, who wasn’t even tough on him.

As CD-4 voters get to know Josh between now and November, it is very likely they will Leave Welle enough alone and vote for Chris Smith.

The Classic version of FiveThirtyEight’s House model rates the probability of Smith being reelected at 93.34%.  That was as of August 16 at 6 p.m., the evening before Welle embarrassed himself on Cavuto: Coast to Coast.