Letter from William A. Zimmerman of Chicago, Illinois, to President Gerald R. Ford Regarding Income Taxes

Manufacturers Since 1908 Con Surtax W REHA R. FORD LERARY GLASS COMPANY 4414 ELSTON AVENUE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60630 AVENUE 3.7731 October 7, 1974 The President The White House Washington, D. C. 200025 Mr. President: News reports state, among other things, that you will seek a surtax on persons with higher incomes and corporations in order to offset tax relief for the poor. Think again, Mr. President. I'm not against the poor and neither are most other people. But you are heading right down the path of Socialism. We've already had too much of that. "We shall take from the haves, and give to the havenots." LBJ said that. In other words, Karl Marx and other Socialists have said it. Apparently you are planning on doing it. What you plan is not consistent with your statement that burdens "will be distributed equally -- so that everybody bears their just share." The above and other Socialistic plans, doubtless fostered by Democrat members of Congress as well as the effete members of the "eastern establishment" with whom you are being surrounded, are about to turn off millions of good, solid Americans who are more concerned with their country and their future than the number of votes you can "buy" with "dollar" solutions. I have been a Republican for forty-five years. Whether I remain so will be determined by what you do in the next three weeks. If it appears that you have been captured by the gutless wonders of Washington and the northeastern states, I and millions of Page 2 The President, The White House, Washington, D.C. 20005 people like me, will go to work on a complete change in the alignment of our political parties. Forty years of in- flational Democrat-Socialism is too much; and a Republican party that cannot change it is not enough. Sincerely, Wm. A. Zimmermann waz/lb 'High incomes' target of anti-inflation levy From Tribune Wire Services and conserve supplies of food everybody bears their just WASHINGTON - Prsident and energy, the two major share." Ford's anti-inflation message sources of the rampant infla- The proposals should not be Tuesday will seek a surtax of tion now running at an annual seen as a "shopping list" from about 5 per cent on persons rate of about 12 per cent. which Congress can adopt the with high incomes and corpo- There also will be programs items it finds most palatable, rations as part of a program dealing with the depressed Nessen said. calling for "restraint, self-dis- housing industry, unemploy- Rather, he said, Congress cipline, and sacrifice," White ment, record high interest and thepublic must adopt and House sources indicated Sun- rates, and the credit squeeze carry thru the entire package day. on banks and businesses, if it is to meet Ford's previ- The tax revision, the sources sources said. ously stated goal of bringing said, would be used to offset "Almost all major decisions inflation "under control" by relief in taxation of the poor. have been made," Ford's July 4, 1976, the nation's 200th Specific figures on what con- press secretary Ron Nessen birthday. stitutes a "high income" were told reporters after the final not given. THE ANTI - inflation state- strategy session in the cabinet Ford spent 75 minutes with room. ment, in part, is an outgrowth his key economic advisers of a month of conferences that Sunday afternoon making final THE PRESS aide said Ford ended in last weekend's two- choices on economic and ener- would ask Americans "to ex- day summit meeting here. gy conservation programs that hibit restraint, self-discipline More than 1,000 suggestions will be announced to a joint and sacrifice and I want to from those discussions were session of congress and a na- emphasize that the govern- distilled to about a dozen pro- tionwide TV audience Tuesday ment itself is not exempt from posals in a marathon feat of afternoon. any of these three." policy- making that left Nessen stressed that the bur- some government officials IT WAS understood Ford's dens the President will ask the short on sleep but brought con- proposals would stress meas- nation to shoulder "will be dis- gratulations from the head ures to increase production tributed equally SO that man. ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR preservation SERVICE -PM 8 OCT IL 009 REHA MAIR MAIL 1974 USAirmail NA CHICAGO, illinois 60630 The President The White House Washington, D.C. 20025