Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Tax the rich? Liberals renew push for state wealth taxes
The Associated Press ^ | January 20, 2023 | By SUSAN HAIGH

Posted on 01/20/2023 1:56:26 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

Supporters of taxes on the very rich contend that people are emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic with a bigger appetite for what they’re calling “tax justice.”

Bills announced Thursday in California, New York, Illinois, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, Washington and Connecticut vary in their approaches to hiking taxes, but all revolve around the idea that the richest Americans need to pay more.

All of the proposals face questionable prospects. Similar legislation has died in state legislatures and Congress. But the new push shows that the political left isn’t ready to give up on the populist argument that government can and should be used as a tool for redistributing wealth.

“Under the pandemic, while people struggled to put food on the table, we saw billionaires double their wealth,” said California Assembly Member Alex Lee, a Democrat.

The Tax Foundation, a conservative-leaning policy organization, called wealth taxes — which levy taxes not just on new income, but on a person’s total assets — “economically destructive.”

It also said in a statement that such taxes create “perverse incentives” for the rich to avoid taxes, including simply moving to states with a lower tax burden.

“Very few taxpayers would remit wealth taxes -- but many more would pay the price,” the group said in a statement. Progressive Democrats, however, argue they are not seeing wealthy taxpayers leaving their states due to higher taxes.

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: marxists; taxes
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

1 posted on 01/20/2023 1:56:26 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

This may be controversial, but for just those states I’d agree with a full wealth tax at 95% over all personal wealth over $75k adjusted with inflation going forward.


2 posted on 01/20/2023 1:59:31 PM PST by Portnoy001
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Rich conservatives are welcome to move to Texas. As for the liberals, Texas is full. Please stay where you are.


3 posted on 01/20/2023 1:59:44 PM PST by thegagline (Sic semper tyrannis! Goldwater 2024)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer
Progressive Democrats, however, argue they are not seeing wealthy taxpayers leaving their states due to higher taxes.

Liars.

4 posted on 01/20/2023 1:59:51 PM PST by BookmanTheJanitor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mark17

Ping


5 posted on 01/20/2023 2:01:37 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion (Fraud vitiates everything. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: aMorePerfectUnion

What have the rich done for me? Most billionaires vote Democrat and as a class they’re very woke. I’m not going to fight their battles. Let Elizabeth Warren tax them.


6 posted on 01/20/2023 2:03:21 PM PST by 6thavenue
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

As long as they tax other liberals, I’m fine.


7 posted on 01/20/2023 2:03:31 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 6thavenue

—> What have the rich done for me?

Your post could’ve been made by any liberal…


8 posted on 01/20/2023 2:05:05 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion (Fraud vitiates everything. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Almost every American multi month billionaire is a hardcore woke leftist. I say tax them 99%


9 posted on 01/20/2023 2:24:46 PM PST by Levy78 (Reject modernity, embrace tradition. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer; hellinahandcart; Trueblackman; SilvieWaldorfMD; Abundy; Abby4116

Heads up!


10 posted on 01/20/2023 2:25:47 PM PST by sauropod (“If they don’t believe our lies, well, that’s just conspiracy theorist stuff, there.”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

The top 1% pay over 50% of all state income taxes (probably more in California). That is why libs want to tax at the federal level, so the rich cannot just move to lower tax states.


11 posted on 01/20/2023 2:46:32 PM PST by Bubba_Leroy (Dementia Joe is Not My President)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

That great sucking sound is the wealthy moving tax havens.


12 posted on 01/20/2023 2:52:00 PM PST by DownInFlames (P)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thegagline

That group is long gone .
The Only Blue state rich are huge Lefties on a demonic level .
Block all new Yankee invaders . trust me .


13 posted on 01/20/2023 3:03:16 PM PST by ncalburt ( Gop DC Globalists are the evil)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Levy78
All these commies want Mama Govt to provide all
healthcare and other Benefits so there Corp can unload those huge costs on the little guy thru Fed taxes .
Thats always been the plan .
Evil Warren Buffet that strategy sneak out once .
14 posted on 01/20/2023 3:07:41 PM PST by ncalburt ( Gop DC Globalists are the evil)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

“...wealth taxes — which levy taxes not just on new income, but on a person’s total assets”


And how is the state to determine what someone’s total assets are? This is the elephant in the room. It will require tax agents to pry into the personal property of anyone they even suspect might reach the threshold for paying the wealth tax.

“I’m from the tax board. I am going to have to examine your home and all of your property, safe deposit boxes, etc. for wealth that might somehow concealed. No, the law requires that you let me in. Of course, you are free to dispute the valuation I put on your property. There will be a completely fair and unbiased hearing at the tax board.”

And years after the ‘wealth tax’ is enacted, like the income tax, the threshold will be lowered by both inflation and the state’s need for more money until all but the poor will be ‘paying their fair share’.


15 posted on 01/20/2023 3:09:27 PM PST by hanamizu
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Portnoy001

And as many of them, that can move, do move and start about destroying the next place.

On top of all of that, do these liberals, that are pushing for all these new taxes on the “rich”, not understand the tax code and how its 70,000+/- pages work?


16 posted on 01/20/2023 3:10:58 PM PST by qaz123
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Portnoy001

Another democrat stumbles into Free Republic.

Welcome to Free Republic - I guess.


17 posted on 01/20/2023 4:14:07 PM PST by plain talk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: plain talk

I wasn’t the only one on this thread saying blue states should cough it up.


18 posted on 01/20/2023 4:16:14 PM PST by Portnoy001
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Portnoy001

Nope but I got your number.


19 posted on 01/20/2023 4:21:10 PM PST by plain talk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: plain talk

Call me later, thanks.


20 posted on 01/20/2023 4:22:18 PM PST by Portnoy001
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson