MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) - forget Times Square, the eyes of the nation are focused on Washington this New Year's Eve and the changes to many paychecks come January 1. "It looks like the President is going to get his wish," Rep. Jo Bonner (Alabama-D1) told Local 15 News, "He wanted to raise taxes and taxes, it appears, will be going up some."
Reached by phone from his office in Washington, Bonner was upset only half a deal is done: The tax part. He compared waiting on action from the Senate to watching paint dry. Tax increases, he said, were not good for anyone in his district.
"If the president has his way, 5 out of 6 small business throughout south Alabama are likely to see their taxes going up, and I don't know many small businesses that are sitting on such a comfortable profit margin that they want to pay more."
The other part, most of which is focused on spending, could be a deal breaker; the effects of which could cost a lot of jobs in the Department of Defense, known as sequestration.
"Secretary [Leon] Panetta has finally awaken from a long deep sleep and realizes that he's going to have to send out pink slips to 800 thousand civilians who work in the Department of Defense," Bonner said.
His thoughts echoed by local veterans and civilians alike.
"Any cuts to the defense budget is wrong," veteran Bill Clubb said. "It costs a lot of money to run the military, but I'd rather have my freedom," Pensacola resident Dan Gialloreto added.
Bonner says he and fellow leaders will be at work on New Year's Day as well just two days before the new congress is sworn in on Thursday.
