Carnahan favors immediate relief for small businesses and famil

To the editor:

Your June 16 editorial grossly mischaracterized my position on the estate tax, leaving your readers with the impression that I oppose repealing the estate tax for small businesses and family farms. That is simply not true.

Your editorial stated, "Death shouldn't be a taxable event for small businesses and family farms." I couldn't agree more. Family farmers and small business owners should be able to pass their farms and businesses to their heirs without being taxed by the government. That is why I sponsored legislation that would not only have permanently repealed the estate tax for all family farms and small businesses, but would have done so immediately. After all, if repealing the estate tax for family farmers and small businesses is something we agree should take place, then we should repeal it immediately instead of waiting until 2010. My proposal to repeal the estate tax would have taken effect immediately. The proposal you cited that I opposed would have forced family farmers and small business owners to pay the estate tax for eight more years. Why should they have to continue paying lawyers and accountants to plan their estates for almost another decade? I don't know many family farmers and small business owners who would view that as good policy.

For some reason, your editorial omitted any discussion of my proposal to permanently and immediately repeal the estate tax. My proposal received the support of senators of both parties, including well-known Republicans such as John McCain.

This omission and mischaracterization of my position did a great disservice to your readers, so I am hopeful that this can set the record straight.

JEAN CARNAHAN

U.S. Senator

Washington, D.C.