Mike Conaway: “It is a matter of equity, because States that have income taxes, those income taxes that you pay in the State reduce…”

“It is a matter of equity, because States that have income taxes, those income taxes that you pay in the State reduce your for Federal tax purposes. So you get to deduct those State income taxes. States without an income tax, unless we put this provision back in, those taxpayers in effect subsidize the rest of the United States' taxpayers because there are inequitable circumstances. So being able to deduct sales taxes means that the taxpayers in Texas are on a more equal footing with taxpayers in States that have an income tax. You mentioned the marriage penalty being a detriment to getting married. I don't know if that is the case. I do know there is a calculable tax toll for making the decision to get married. That may not dissuade couples from getting married, but it might. There is a tax toll, and all of us agree that strong families are the core of the institution that is America. And to the extent we discourage strong families, shame on us.”