Washington, Apr 15 - House Deputy Majority Whip Congressman Jerry Weller (R-Morris), credited with the successful effort to eliminate the Marriage Tax Penalty, today highlighted the tax savings provision Americans will enjoy this year as they file their 2004 tax returns on this Tax Day. As millions of Americans across the U.S. file their tax returns today, many will pay significantly less this year thanks to the tax relief enacted by President Bush and the Republican-led Congress.

“Congress continues to take giant leaps to reduce the tax burden on the American family,” said Weller, a member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee. “While we have experienced great success in reducing taxes over the past few years, we still have a lot of work to do in simplifying the tax code for America’s taxpayers and families. Too many Illinois families must sit-down with an accounting team to file their taxes annually. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to simplify the tax code for Individuals and families.”

Between 2001 and 2004, the GOP-controlled Congress lowered all personal income tax rates, including the rate on capital gains and dividends, doubled the child tax credit and encouraged investment through 50-percent bonus depreciation, a provision Congressman Weller fought to include in President Bush’s tax relief package.

Congressman Weller cited the a report from the Tax Foundation, a national grassroots taxpayer advocacy organization, which calculates both National Tax Freedom Day as well as Illinois Tax Freedom day this year will fall on Sunday, April 17. This means a typical Illinoisan will need to work 107 days to pay their 2005 taxes - 70 days for federal taxes and 37 additional days for state and local taxes.

“The GOP-led Congress continues to work at reducing the number of days Americans must work to pay their share of taxes,” said Weller. “In Illinois, the average taxpayer works 107 days our of the year to pay federal, state and local taxes. This continues to decline and this is good news for the taxpayer. It was only five years ago when Illinoisan worked until May 3rd, approximately one-third of the calendar year to pay their taxes. The Bush tax cuts reduced timeframe.

Congressman Weller added that as a result of the President Bush’s Tax Relief in 2001, the Jobs & Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, and the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004, every American taxpayer who paid income taxes will get tax relief this year. Some example’s of the tax relief Americans will see includes:

- 110 million American taxpayers will see their taxes decline by an average of $1,716.

- A family of four earning $40,000 will receive tax relief of $1,985.
- Over 5 million individuals and families will see their income tax liabilities completely eliminated.

- 44 million families with children will receive an average tax cut of $2,300.

- 14 million elderly individuals will receive an average tax cut of $1,879.

- 25 million small business owners will save an average of $3,235.

- 24 million investors will save an average of $947 from lower rates on dividends and capital gains, including 7 million seniors who will save an average of $1,231.

- Low-income families will also benefit from provisions that make the child credit refundable for more families and reduce marriage penalties.