Most of the time and most of the questions congressman Bill Flores fielded Monday night at the second of two electronic town hall meetings dealt with federal tax reform.
During the nearly 90 minute meeting, targeted to constituents in Brazos and other counties in the southern part of the 17th district, Flores guaranteed there will be some Democrats who will vote for the final tax reform bill.
A retired teacher who also receives Social Security asked Flores about eliminating the so-called “windfall elimination provision” that reduces Social Security benefits. Flores said that’s not in either the House or Senate plan…but he and Kevin Brady are working to make that happen.
Flores says money saved by eliminating the individual health insurance mandate could go towards eliminating the windfall provision, keeping the graduate student tuition deduction, and a couple of other unidentified things.
Flores says he favors the Senate’s plan for keeping tuition discounts and waivers for graduate students.
But he is opposed to the Senate waiting until 2019 to start new corporate tax rates.
He is also opposed to the Senate’s plan to end many tax benefits for families in ten years.
Flores reported 2,000 participated in the town hall by phone and almost 3,000 were online.
Click below to hear Congressman Bill Flores town hall on December 4, 2017.