The News
Democratic Nevada Rep. Dina Titus indicated her support for eliminating federal taxes on tipped income in an interview with Semafor’s Elana Schor Thursday — but with the caveat that the change comes alongside an increase in the federal minimum wage.
“A lot of people don’t make enough tips to get taxed… you’ve got to accompany that with an increase in the minimum wage,” Titus said at Semafor’s Betting on the Future of US Gaming event in Washington, DC.
Titus’ remarks are in line with Vice President Kamala Harris’ proposal, which would seek to couple the tax change with a higher minimum wage in a bid to counteract warnings that eliminating taxes on tips would not help workers who might make below the minimum level for taxation. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who first floated eliminating taxes on tips, has not proposed a concurrent increase to the federal minimum wage.
Titus, whose district encompasses Las Vegas and co-chairs the Congressional Gaming Caucus, noted that in Nevada, workers typically receive higher base wages than the federal minimum, and she stressed that the federal government has to catch up to the state’s approach.
Know More
Also speaking at the event Thursday, venture capitalist and part-owner of the Washington Commanders football team Mark Ein expressed optimism that Congress could pass a bill to redevelop DC’s Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium this year, potentially as part of a larger legislative package. The stadium has become a flashpoint in congressional politics, as the federal government has broad powers over how the capital’s officials spend their city budget.
“Fingers crossed for the city, that something can happen before the new Congress,” Ein said, stressing that the stadium’s redevelopment would provide opportunities for new housing, parks, and community development in the District.