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The Taxpayer Protection Pledge

"It has transformed American politics."

Jonathan Alter, Newsweek

'Fiscal accountability' revolves around two components of government finance: Taxes and Spending.

While many of the tools the Center for Fiscal Accountability promotes focus on accountability in spending, Americans for Tax Reform has a long standing track record of promoting and achieving greater accountability on the tax side through its flagship:

The Taxpayer Protection Pledge.

The Pledge, a commitment made by elected officials and candidates for public office never to raise taxes, was created by Americans for Tax Reform at the request of President Reagan in 1986, and has since become de rigeur for Republicans seeking office, and is a necessity for Democrats running in Republican districts. Numbers in Congress are approaching 50% in each house.

Politicians often run for office saying they won't raise taxes, but then quickly turn their backs on the taxpayer. The idea of the Pledge is simple enough: Make them put their no-new-taxes rhetoric in writing.

In the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, candidates and incumbents solemnly bind themselves to oppose any and all tax increases. While ATR has the role of promoting and monitoring the Pledge, the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is actually made to a candidate's constituents, who are entitled to know where candidates stand before sending them to the capitol. Since the Pledge is a prerequisite for many voters, it is considered binding as long as an individual holds the office for which he or she signed the Pledge.

Today the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is offered to every candidate for state office and to all incumbents. More than 1,100 state officeholders, from state representative to governor, have signed the Pledge. Statehouse tax-and-spend interests have to contend with Pledge signers in every state.

For full lists of state and federal Pledge signers please visit ATR's website.