ORLANDO, Fla. – Vice President Mike Pence visited Orlando on Thursday to discuss tax reform.
Pence was joined by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Gov. Rick Scott as they met with local business owners, community leaders and Florida families.
Pence concluded with a visit to Correct Craft, which builds boats and motors designed for water-skiing and wakeboarding, including Nautique boats.
He spoke there about the Republican tax reform plan, which he said will help families and businesses.
"The time has come to cut taxes across the board," Pence said.
He added that under the Republican plan, which was rolled out Thursday, corporate taxes would drop from 35 percent to 20 percent.
The average family of four would save more than a $1,000 a year.
"My wife and I started a little business in the 1990s. Another $1,000, that's what we call 'Christmas' in my house," Pence said.
Richard Hutsell, a Correct Craft employee, said the plan would help benefit the more than 400 mostly middle-class workers there.
"I think it'd be great for business and families," Hutsell said. "More pocket money."
Pence also said he thinks the Republican plan would make filing taxes easier for businesses. Tom Muller, who owns Ocean Blue Logistics in Orlando, liked that idea.
"I own a small company and my tax return has more pages than 'Charlotte's Web' as a storybook. And my tax return has nothing to say, has nothing to tell. So it's time for reform," he said.
But, Muller also admitted, paying for all those tax savings might be a challenge.
"The hardest part about any type of tax deduction is: Who's gonna suffer? Who's gonna pay for it? You gotta cut someone. And that's what people are uncomfortable with. They're afraid," he said.
That's what many Democrats don't like about the plan.
"As is, this plan would add trillions to the national debt in order to give huge tax cuts to the wealthy, instead of hardworking families," Sen. Bill Nelson said.
Still, Pence predicts a tax reform plan will pass before the end of the year.