Staff Reports
Congresswoman Katie Porter has been a vocal advocate for progressive policies, often advocating for higher taxes on the wealthy. Despite this, the California Democrat recently introduced legislation to roll back the cap on the State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction, which was reduced by the 2017 GOP tax reform and capped at $10,000.
Californians shouldn't be taxed on money we don't have—a concept so basic it's been in our tax code since the beginning. This week, I helped relaunch the SALT Caucus, which will continue working to restore tax fairness for middle class families. pic.twitter.com/QoxAYTQXGS
— Rep. Katie Porter (@RepKatiePorter) February 10, 2023
This tax loophole allows Americans in high-tax, blue states to write-off their state and local taxes from their federal taxes. Porter has argued that this deduction is necessary to prevent punishing those living in regions with high costs of living. She has also put forth the SALT Act, which would restore the full SALT Deduction with “sensible guardrails to prevent abuse by the ultra-wealthy.”
Just a reminder that this $100 billion/year tax cut overwhelmingly benefits the rich.https://t.co/6GA5J7D2YQ https://t.co/Kt6gM1MTwG pic.twitter.com/q4XywOxGl7
— Marc Goldwein (@MarcGoldwein) February 12, 2023
However, this tax loophole primarily benefits the middle and upper classes. The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has pointed out that fully repealing the SALT cap would almost exclusively help the well-off. This has raised questions about Porter’s motivations for pushing for this tax loophole, as it appears to benefit her wealthy constituents more than the working poor.
The SALT Deduction is an example of a corrupt loophole that should be eliminated in order to simplify the tax code and cut rates overall. It also encourages the growth of the welfare state and Big Government at the state and local level by allowing those localities to avoid paying their share of federal taxes.
Ultimately, Congresswoman Porter must be held accountable for her actions and be transparent about her motivations for pushing for this tax loophole. If Californians want to tax and spend more in their state, they should not pass those costs along to the rest of us. It is hypocritical for Porter to advocate for “taxing the rich” while simultaneously pushing for a tax loophole that primarily benefits her wealthy constituents.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Based Politics
