FactCheck: Dems' Claims of Romney Tax Increases

This report is based on work by our partners at FactCheck.org, a nonpartisan project of the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center.


It was a theme heard many times at the Democratic National Convention, and it is a theme that surely will be repeated until November.

"Governor Romney believes it's OK to raise taxes on middle classes by $2,000 in order to pay for ... another trillion-dollar tax cut for the very wealthy," Vice President Joe Biden said at the DNC.

Those watching heard it from Biden and other heavy hitters at the DNC. They say Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's tax plan will mean an increase of $2,000 for middle income families.

But Romney denied this claim in his speech at the Republican National Convention.

"I will not raise taxes on the middle class," he said at the RNC.

He later reinforced it on NBC's "Meet The Press."

"And I've indicated as well that -- that contrary to what the Democrats are saying, I'm not going to increase the tax burden on middle income families," he said. "It would absolutely be wrong to do that."

So with these conflicting statements, who are voters supposed to believe? It all comes down to the Tax Policy Center's analysis of Romney's tax plan.

First, he said he's going to keep all of the Bush tax cuts for everyone. He's going to cut income tax rates across the board 20 percent. All this while keeping it revenue neutral. He'll do this by cutting tax deductions and exemptions for wealthy people.

The Tax Policy Center says this just doesn't add up. And Romney may be over-promising.

"What you have is the Democrats assuming that the compromise that Mitt Romney will have to make is that he’s going to raise taxes on the middle class," said FactCheck.org Deputy Editor Robert Farley. "Again, something that he specifically said he’s not going to do."

So until we have specific details on what Romney would do about reducing the number of exemptions, voters can count on this remaining a popular campaign theme.

"This is a very important point for them," Farley said. "And you’re going to hear it hammered over and over again in ads and speeches from now until November."

But however much it's repeated, it's not necessarily true.

For even more analysis of the Democratic National Convention from FactCheck.org, click here.

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