WASHINGTON -- The average taxpayer in 20 of New Jersey's 21 counties who takes the federal deduction for state and local taxes will lose part of that break under the Republican tax law.

Thanks largely to New Jersey's high property taxes, the average tax deduction for residents who take it exceeds the $10,000 cap set in the law signed by President Donald Trump in all but Cumberland County, according to Internal Revenue Service statistics for the 2016 tax year.

"For decades, our neighbors have used this deduction for medical bills, school tuition, home repairs, and other life necessities," said Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., a member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.

"In their tax scam, Republicans voted to steal it and then converted it into tax cuts for corporations," Pascrell said. "In their own words, Republicans wanted to maliciously bring pain to New Jersey - and they succeeded."

More than 41 percent of New Jersey's taxpayers take advantage of the state and local tax break, a greater percentage than all but two other states. Nationally, 86 percent of those taking the deduction reported income of $200,000 or less, according to the Government Finance Officers Association.

The IRS statistics were released as House Republicans sought to make their tax cuts permanent, further adding to the deficit. The current tax plan would increase the federal deficit by $1.9 trillion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The current deduction cap and the tax bill's benefits for middle-class families expire in 2025.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., said the IRS numbers show that the Republican legislation "jacks up taxes significantly on New Jersey families." He said any attempt to make the tax bill permanent "should be killed by any lawmakers with skin in the game."

The tax bill curbed the federal deduction for state and local taxes, a mainstay of Internal Revenue Service code since the first income tax, and used the revenue to reduce taxes for corporations and wealthy Americans.

Unlike the bipartisan tax plan under President Ronald Reagan in 1986, the GOP legislation was pushed through on a party-line vote and targeted New Jersey and other high-tax states that tend to support Democrats.

Most of those states send billions of dollars more to Washington than they receive in services.

President Donald Trump championed the legislation, and his administration announced recently that it would oppose efforts by New Jersey and other states to get around the deduction cap on state and local taxes to set up charitable funds, which have no such limits.

The state is challenging the measure in court.

All but one New Jersey lawmaker voted against the tax bill, citing the loss of the state and local tax deduction.

The yes vote came from Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-3rd Dist., and has hindered his re-election chances, according to the two Washington-based publications that track congressional races, the Cook Political Report and Inside Elections.

Despite the loss of some of the deduction, more than 60 percent of Garden State residents will see a tax cut, according to the Tax Policy Center. But more than 1 in 10 will pay more in taxes, a higher percentage than any other state.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.