California Democrats last week rejected an amendment that would have implemented a “no tip tax” policy after Vice President Kamala Harris endorsed the idea last month.
Republican Senator Rosilis Ochoa Bo Introduced An amendment to exempt service worker tips from state income tax, allowing them to take home more money, passed Thursday. All nine Republican state senators voted in favor. Supported The bill passed, but Democrats, with the exception of Senate President Mike McGuire and State Senator Nancy Skinner, who abstained, blocked consideration of amendments. (Related article: Harris unable to explain change of attitude, says she has no regrets about Biden in first interview)
“It is deeply disappointing that Congress chose not to consider providing much-needed relief to California workers,” Rep. Ochoa-Bogg said in a statement after the vote.
“Californians live in one of the most expensive states in the nation, and service and hospitality workers are especially burdened by a tax system that struggles to make ends meet,” Ochoa-Beau continued. “They deserve better, and today's decision is a missed opportunity to help those who need it most.”
The California State Capitol during the National League of Cities California State Legislature Advocacy Day in Sacramento, California on March 13, 2024. (Courtesy of the National League of Cities, Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
In early August, the vice president voiced his support for a “no tip tax” policy at a rally in Las Vegas. Promising “I will continue to fight for working American families, including raising the minimum wage and eliminating the tip tax for service and hospitality workers,” Harris said, though former President Donald Trump later criticized her for adopting the policies she had promised to supporters in early June.
Since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris has faced significant backlash from Republicans over her policies, a departure from the far-left positions she took during her 2020 campaign. As of Monday, her campaign had yet to release a full policy platform on its website.
“It is difficult to overstate the laziness of refusing to even debate such a crucial policy issue,” said Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones. “Democrats knew they were on the wrong side of this important issue, and they chose to sweep the issue under the rug rather than do the right thing for working Californians. The push to repeal the federal tip tax has made it to the campaign trail of both major parties this year, yet California's Democratic politicians don't think it's even worth discussing at the state level for our residents.”
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