CHANDLER, ARIZ. — Mitt Romney called for slashing marginal tax rates by 20 percent on Wednesday, seeking to roll out a new economic plan in the final hours before a crucial Republican debate here.
Speaking at a Christian school gymnasium in the Phoenix suburbs, Romney said, "I'm going to lower rates across the board for all Americans by 20 percent,” eliciting wild cheers from a crowd of roughly 400 in the must-win state.
As Romney made the remarks, his campaign sent out additional details of the plan, which would limit the top marginal income tax rate to 28 percent.
The former Massachusetts governor, criticized for paying a lower tax rate than many Americans, vowed that his plan would not benefit the wealthy, saying that certain deductions for the highest wage earners would disappear under his initiative.
“Because I do not want to add to the deficit, and also to make sure we continue to have progressivity in our code, I’m going to limit the deductions and exemptions particularly for high income folks,” he said. “We make sure the top 1 percent keeps paying, paying the current share they’re paying or more.”
Romney added that middle- and low-income families would keep their current tax deductions.
The economic blueprint is being unveiled as the race in Arizona tightens and while Romney trails former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in Michigan.
Seeking to frame the day’s message, Romney is desperate for a strong performance during Wednesday’s Arizona debate in Mesa, to be televised on CNN at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
