Jennifer Carroll (R)
Social Security
Nearly 25% of the residents of the 3rd District have reached the age to receive Social Security. The questions I have heard over the last ten months are "…is Social Security going to last?" and "…what will happen to me when I am eligible to start collecting Social Security?"
Social Security was designed to assist seniors. However each day I learn more and more seniors depend on it to meet their living costs. I want to let you know that as your Congresswoman I support the Lockbox approach to Social Security. Congress cannot be permitted to use these funds for other programs.
Securing Social Security for the future is my first objective but in addition I believe we must begin give people a choice to secure their hard earned dollars in a privatized investment system. Privatizing part of the funds for Social Security will yield a higher rate of return on our investment and this system will allow us to pass on our investments to our heirs. Under the current system, all of the money we pay into the Social Security cannot be passed onto our heirs when we die.
Unfortunately, the current Social Security dollars are not enough for seniors to live on and they need to work to make ends meet and my opponent in 1993 decided to increase taxes on Social Security benefits for those seniors who choose to work. Congresswoman Brown supported this additional burden on seniors and I would have adamantly opposed the legislation. She voted to increase the amount of taxable income on Social Security benefits from 50% to 85% for seniors who earn $44,000 as a couple or $34,000 as individuals (Vote 406 8/5/93). The incumbent believes balancing the budget on the backs of seniors was the right option. The idea of balancing the budget on the backs of seniors is absolutely ludicrous. Fortunately, Congress in July (Vote 450 7/27/00) voted to repeal this legislation without Congresswoman Brown's support.
We have a duty as a nation to provide whatever help possible to you who helped defend our nation and make America the leader of the free world. I believe it is our responsibility to reduce the tax burden on seniors so they can afford to purchase their prescription drugs and their food rather than making a choice of one over the other. These situations are heart wrenching and I will work to provide the assistance necessary for seniors who must rely on Social Security or a part time job to maintain their quality of life.