Warren Hudak: Tax cuts must be a Republican priority, but reform requires common sense

Last November, Pennsylvanians and all Americans affirmed their desire for another four years of President Trump’s policies and agenda. A cornerstone of the President’s first term was the Trump Tax Cuts, which helped small businesses flourish and strengthened the economy for working Americans.

With another Republican trifecta in Washington, there’s never been a better time to build on those successes. Making the 2017 tax cuts permanent has become a centerpiece of current budget discussions — and for good reason. If allowed to expire, the result would be one of the largest tax increases in American history — a 22 percent average hike for taxpayers, halved child tax credits for millions of families, and higher taxes for small businesses.

Let’s be clear: pro–small business policy is not narrow or niche — it’s pro–prosperity for all Americans. When small businesses grow, they hire, invest locally, and generate opportunity across entire communities. The backbone of our economy isn’t on Wall Street — it’s on Main Street.

But as the reconciliation process moves forward, discussions have expanded to include deep cuts to programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). While reducing wasteful spending is important, reforms must be made with care — not with a hatchet.

This isn’t a left-right issue. It’s a common sense issue. We all want programs that help the vulnerable — but not programs that trap people in dependency or reward fraud. We can come together around smart, targeted reforms that encourage work, eliminate abuse, and still protect those who truly need help.

That balanced approach is what we need now. In Pennsylvania, three million people rely on Medicaid, including 39 percent of children under 21. Over two million Pennsylvanians depend on SNAP to put food on the table. These are working families, seniors, and neighbors — not statistics. Deep, blunt cuts risk real harm — not only to those families but to the political trust we need to govern effectively.

Republicans must take the lead in advancing reforms that reflect both fiscal responsibility and human decency. Let’s make the Trump Tax Cuts permanent — but let’s also modernize safety net programs with accountability, compassion, and common sense.

Our leaders in Congress — like Representatives Guy Reschenthaler and Lloyd Smucker — have an opportunity to shape legislation that reflects the best of both worlds: pro-growth tax policy paired with thoughtful reform. It’s not about ideology. It’s about results.

We all want an economy that rewards effort, discourages abuse, and supports those who fall on hard times. We don’t have to choose between compassion and accountability — we just have to lead with common sense and confidence in the American worker and small business owner.

Warren S. Hudak is the owner of Hudak & Company and chairman of the National Federation of Independent Business’s State Leadership Council.