By: Amy Matsui, Senior Director of Income Security
When considering whether to vote for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, voters are asked to keep a lot of important issues in mind (abortion and democracy just to name a few) — but there’s another issue that is too often overlooked that deserves voters’ attention as well: tax policy.
Taxes are the engine that keeps the government running, and the tax code is a powerful tool that can help individuals and families thrive. Without robust federal funding (which comes from taxes), it will be harder to make meaningful investments in women and families.
This election, tax policy should be one of the top considerations for voters. That’s because next year, billions of dollars in tax giveaways for the wealthiest Americans are set to expire. These giveaways were part of the 2017 tax law that Republicans wrote and passed, and Donald Trump signed into law.
According to independent analysis, the bulk of the benefits from the 2017 law went to the top 1%, ballooning our national debt and making it harder to invest in policies that benefit everyone, such as child care, care for aging or disabled family members, paid family and medical leave, and affordable housing. What’s more, the tax cuts at the top didn’t “trickle down” to workers and families or grow the economy.
If we let these giveaways for the ultra-wealthy expire — and enact additional tax changes to ensure that they pay more of their fair share in taxes — it would generate more than enough revenue to fund vital investments in women’s economic security. Additionally, these investments will ease the burden for women and their families and make the economy work for everyone, not just those at the top.
Kamala Harris understands that a fairer tax code has the potential to transform women’s lives – and the economy as a whole. That’s why she’s promising a fairer tax code where billionaires and wealthy corporations contribute their fair share, where families can access affordable care for their children and aging/disabled parents, and where families are given the tax relief that they need to make ends meet, including by expanding the Child Tax Credit. Under her leadership, women and families would have more money in their pockets for essentials like food, clothing, and housing—all made possible by fixing the tax code and ensuring that billionaires don’t pay lower tax rates than their secretaries.
Donald Trump, however, is firmly in the corner of the ultra-wealthy. He’s openly promised at fundraising events that he’ll lower his super wealthy donors’ taxes if re-elected, making it virtually impossible to raise revenue to support family-focused investments. His Project 2025 agenda, crafted by those who would likely fill a future Trump administration, calls for even more tax cuts for the rich and corporations— while raising taxes for everyday families and slashing federal programs that disproportionately support women, children, and families.
There’s a lot at stake in this election. But when it comes to tax policy, the choice is clear: Kamala Harris will fight for a tax system that works for all of us, putting more money into the hands of women and families. Donald Trump, on the other hand, would double down on tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy, leaving working families to foot the bill.