SALT Tax Relief: Lobbying Trump While Voting Against Constituents

Statement

Source: Public statements and Trump meeting, September 2025 Reported by: WGRZ Buffalo, Roll Call

Rep. Langworthy met with President Trump to lobby for restoration of the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction, which disproportionately affects New York taxpayers.

“New York families are being crushed by high taxes. We need to restore the SALT deduction to give our constituents relief.”

He emphasized this was a top priority for his district, where the $10,000 SALT cap created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act significantly increased tax burdens.

Congressional Record

September 2025: Tax Package Vote

• Langworthy vote: YES
• Action: Voted for tax package that did NOT include SALT deduction increase
• Package included:
  • Corporate tax rate reduction from 21% to 15%
  • Extension of individual tax cuts expiring in 2025
  • No meaningful SALT relief despite his lobbying
• Source: Roll Call, WGRZ Buffalo

What He Lobbied For vs. What He Voted For:

Context

The SALT Cap Impact on NY-23

According to Tax Foundation analysis:

• Average impact: NY-23 households earning $75K-$200K pay $2,000-$5,000 more annually
• High-tax areas: Jamestown, Olean, Hornell residents particularly affected
• State/local taxes: New York’s combined state and local taxes among highest nationally

The Trade-Off Langworthy Made

The tax package he voted for prioritized:

1. Corporate tax cuts: Reduced rate from 21% to 15% (estimated $1.8 trillion cost over 10 years)
2. High-income cuts: Extended cuts that primarily benefit top earners
3. No SALT relief: Left $10,000 cap in place despite lobbying Trump about it

What Constituents Said

WGRZ Buffalo interviewed NY-23 residents:

“He told us SALT was his priority, then he voted for a bill that gave corporations billions while we’re still capped at $10,000. That’s not representing us.”

Roll Call noted Langworthy was among several House Republicans who “publicly lobbied for SALT relief but voted for the package without it when leadership applied pressure.”

The Sequence

1. Early September: Langworthy meets with Trump, emphasizes SALT as “top priority”
2. Mid-September: Tax package negotiations include corporate cuts but minimal SALT relief
3. Late September: Langworthy votes YES on final package despite lack of SALT increase
4. Outcome: Corporations got tax cuts, NY-23 constituents still face $10K SALT cap

By The Numbers

• SALT cap cost to NY-23 households: $2,000-$5,000/year average for middle/upper-middle class
• Corporate tax cut benefit: ~$1.8 trillion over 10 years, primarily to large corporations
• SALT relief in package: Minimal to none despite bipartisan support for $20K cap

Sources

• WGRZ Buffalo: “Langworthy lobbies Trump on SALT deduction” (Sept 2025)
• Roll Call: “House Republicans cave on SALT despite promises” (Sept 2025)
• Tax Foundation: Analysis of SALT cap impact by congressional district
• Congressional Budget Office: Cost estimates for tax package components

Note: This entry documents publicly available information from news reports, congressional records, and tax policy analysis. Readers may draw their own conclusions.

Last updated: December 21, 2025