Dennis Rehberg Changes His Mind Again

It’s pretty difficult to keep up with where Representative Dennis Rehberg is standing on issues these days. Whether it’s federal control of our land, the GI Bill, SCHIP, the Patriot Act or REAL ID, Representative Rehberg seems to demonstrate the same consistency on issues one expects from Mitt Romney.

The latest? His position on a controversial tax.

KXLH reported yesterday that Representative Rehberg voted to end a scheduled tax on contractors:

The Montana Contractor’s Association executive director Cary Hegreberg says the tax could force contractors to stop hiring, adding that the construction industry is just beginning to add jobs in Montana and this tax could stop that growth.

On Thursday, U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg (R-MT) joined 262 other Representatives in voting to repeal the tax.

Where did a tax like this—one that hurts the construction industry and job growth—come from, you might be asking? Well the Independent Record reported last Saturday that it came from in 2006:

The measure was a provision (Section 511) of the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 meant to make sure contractors pay their full share of taxes — particularly those smaller businesses more likely to be paid in cash.

And how did Montana’s tax-fighting, business-loving champion vote? In favor of the tax, which passed Congress on May 17, 2006.

I’m not sure about the rest of you, but it’s pretty frustrating to know that Representative Rehberg is trying to get political mileage out of a tax he created in the first place.

If you appreciate an independent voice holding Montana politicians accountable and informing voters, and you can throw a few dollars a month our way, we would certainly appreciate it.