BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) -- North Dakota's Democratic U.S. Senate candidate says he'll support applying federal Social Security taxes to all income to ensure the program can keep on paying benefits.
Tracy Potter said his proposal would "fix Social Security forever." A spokesman for his Republican opponent Gov. John Hoeven, said it would raise taxes and hamper job creation efforts.
Employees now pay Social Security taxes of 6.2 percent on their wages, and employers pay another 6.2 percent. The first $106,800 of income is taxed.
Potter says Social Security taxes should be applied to all income. He says the change would hit a relatively small number of high earners and could allow a reduction in the tax rate. The idea hasn't gone anywhere in Congress.
