Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam has signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a written commitment to state taxpayers to “oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes,” in his bid to become Florida’s next Governor. Putnam is the first candidate in the race to sign the Pledge.
“In signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, Adam Putnam today reminds every taxpayer in Florida that he stands with them. The Pledge is a public, written commitment to the taxpayers of Florida that as Governor he will continue that principled commitment,” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.
Prior to serving as Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, Putnam served five terms (from 2001-2011) in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Florida’s 12 congressional district.
Americans for Tax Reform offers the Pledge to all candidates for state and federal office. In the 115th Congress, 46 U.S. Senators and 209 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are pledge signers. Pledge signers include Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, and GOP Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady are also pledge signers.
On the state level, this commitment is shared by 11 incumbent governors including Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.), Gov. Rick Scott (Fla.), and Gov. Paul LePage (M.E.), and nearly 1,000 state legislators across the country.