Who’da thunk this could happen, that Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald J. Trump would agree on a significant public policy issue?
Both candidates for POTUS agree that service workers who rely on tips shouldn’t have to be taxed on that portion of their income.
Trump tossed the idea out there first. Harris has followed suit. Trump, though, is contending that Harris “stole” the idea from him and is trying to win favor with voters by casting this notion as her own.
Holy taxman!
I happen to agree that tip income need not be taxed. If you’re working as a server in a restaurant, you’re already earning something below the national minimum wage. Tips are meant to supplement the meager wage these folks are earning.
Harris wants to take the issue a step further. She wants to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour, something that Trump opposes. Spoiler alert: I support Harris’s idea.
But really, there’s no “theft” involved in one candidate endorsing an idea pitched by an opponent. Then again, I tend to believe Donald Trump is going to take a lot more credit that he doesn’t deserve on issues that Harris endorses along the way.
As in everything: the devil is in the details.
It sounds good until you dig into the actual numbers and what is being proposed.
Income taxes will be eliminated but FICA and Medicare combining for 7.65% will remain intact.
Most tipped employees are already exempt from Federal Income taxes.
I know a tipped server who is on track to earn $35k this year. Sheâll pay less than $300.00 in federal income taxes. Saving $300 per year is better than a stick in your eye, butâŚ
If FICA taxes were eliminated, sheâd save $2300. per year.
Kamala should propose eliminating or reducing the FICA/ Medicare portion of tipped income to really help the heroic people in the service industries.
Also- itâs not true that servers make below minimum wage.
If a server does not earn enough between their hourly wage and their tips, the employer has to make up the difference to bring them to minimum wage levels.
Most tipped employees make well over $15.00 per hour currently.
Trump has also proposed no taxes for those retired on Social Security.
I consider theft for Harris. It wouldnât be theft if she simply said âI agree with former President Trump on tip taxesâ. Give credit where credit is due.
Weâll see if she starts talking about social security and taxes now.
At least she has talked of a policy now. She is still flip flopping on her far left views trying to get away from them. AOC isnât happy sheâs trying to move back towards center.
How about Harris requiring physical IDâs for her Arizona rally when sheâs states voter ID laws are racist!
Letâs see how you spin this.
When Trump first came out with no taxes on tips, the democrats said it was just a ploy for votes. Now that Harris has jumped in on the policy, they think itâs great. More flip flopping. LOL!