Pence in Orlando: Cut taxes now and reform the tax code

ORLANDO — Vice President Mike Pence said the GOP tax plan released Thursday is the clearest path to put more money in people's hands, create jobs and bring investment back to U.S. shores.

"The time has come to cut taxes across the board," Pence said.

The vice president, joined by Gov. Rick Scott and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Purdue, made his remarks after touring Correct Craft, a nautical manufacturing business near Orlando International Airport.

Following the event at Correct Craft, Pence was the keynote speaker at the Republican Party of Florida’s Statesman’s Dinner at the Grand Floridian Resort at Walt Disney World. That speech was not open to the news media.

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Correct Craft is a 92-year-old company that owns several boat, engine and watersports brands. It employs about 550 people in Central Florida.

It's those types of workers Pence and others are trying to woo with the GOP tax plan, and the vice president's remarks — along with those of Purdue and Scott — seemed well-received by the friendly crowd.

The proposed tax measure keeps the top individual rate at 39.6% for high-income earners and would immediately — and permanently — reduce the corporate rate from 35% to 20%.

The legislation also calls for a major overhaul of the U.S. tax code, significantly lowering the cap on mortgage interest deductions, while doing away with deductions for state and local income taxes, as well as medical expenses.

Left intact in the GOP proposal is the popular 401(k) retirement savings plans.

Pence urged citizens to contact their representatives and push for passage of tax cuts and modification of the tax code and tell them, "you want to see a tax cut and you want to see a tax cut this year."

Follow Wayne T. Price on Twitter: @fla2daybiz