Congresswoman Susan Davis, D-San Diego, is rallying resistance to the Republican tax cut plans circulating in the House and Senate.
President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers hope to come to terms on a tax reform plan before the end of the year, but they are working on the legislation as Democrats speak out against it.
The GOP plans cut corporate taxes, reduce the number of tax brackets and eliminate a host of deductions and other taxes.
It remains unclear if the reform effort has complete Republican support.
"If they're going to move forward and still have the inability to deduct state and local taxes, those high tax states in the Senate are balking at that possibility," said Davis.
Both the House and Senate plan to eliminate the state and local tax deduction, and that hits hard in high tax states like California. San Diego school officials said state voters who approved new school taxes will now also pay higher federal taxes.
"It's basically a signal to local and to state taxpayers, that when you're willing to make a sacrifice to provide for strong public school here in California, the federal government is going to come and punish you for that sacrifice," said Richard Barrera, a San Diego Unified School Board member.
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The Republican plans also reduce the mortgage interest deduction, and local realtors fear that will pinch an already tight real estate market.
"The American Dream includes home ownership, and in San Diego, it's not news to anyone that housing affordability is a crisis here. We cannot afford to have a tax program that's taking money out of so many different pockets," said Ann Throckmorton, of the San Diego Association of Realtors.
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Democrats said they will not go along with the GOP tax reform plan because it gives huge tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy.
"This is a non-starter. They need to scrap it, start over, get a new bill — bipartisan support," said Angela DeJoseph of Lemon Grove.
So far, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, is the only California Republican congressman to say publicly he will vote against the current plan. Issa narrowly won re-election last year and he has come out strongly against eliminating the state and local tax deduction.
