The Democrat-controlled California legislature rejected a Republican proposal on Thursday that sought to exempt tipped income from state income taxes. This move comes even as Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has stolen a similar policy suggested by GOP nominee Donald Trump.
The amendment, introduced in the state Senate, aimed to exempt service industry workers from state taxes on tips. The Democratic majority voted against the proposal along party lines, without any discussion or debate, according to Fox News.
Republican State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, who introduced the amendment, expressed her disappointment in a press release: “It is deeply disappointing that the legislature chose not to consider a proposal that could have provided much-needed relief to California’s workers.”
Ochoa Bogh continued, “With Californians facing one of the highest costs of living in the nation, our service and hospitality industry employees are particularly burdened by a tax system that leaves them struggling to make ends meet. They deserve better, and today’s decision is a missed opportunity to support those who need it most.”
California Senate Republicans criticized Democratic lawmakers as “negligent” for refusing to even debate the bill. They noted that both major presidential candidates, former President Donald Trump and Vice