Vice President Kamala Harris promised to work towards eliminating taxes on tips paid to restaurant and service industry employees at a rally in Las Vegas. This pledge echoed a similar promise made by former President Donald Trump. Harris stated that as president, she would continue to fight for working families by raising the minimum wage and removing taxes on tips. However, she clarified that this would require cooperation from Congress and the implementation of certain provisions to prevent abuse of the policy by wealthy individuals.
In response to Harris’s announcement, Trump took to social media to claim that the idea of removing taxes on tips was originally his and accused Harris of merely copying his policy for political gain. Despite the back and forth between the two politicians, Harris’s campaign affirmed that she would collaborate with Congress to develop a comprehensive proposal that addresses income limits and prevents exploitation of the system. Additionally, she plans to advocate for increasing the federal minimum wage in conjunction with eliminating taxes on tips.
Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, concluded a five-state tour in Nevada, where they received support from the Culinary Workers Union, which endorsed Harris and her proposals for raising the minimum wage and eliminating taxes on tips for service workers. The campaign aims to strengthen the middle class and reduce the cost of living for American families. As part of their efforts to engage Latino voters, Harris highlighted the importance of immigration reform and an earned pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals in the country.
During the rally in Las Vegas, Harris emphasized the administration’s commitment to fixing the broken immigration system and criticized Trump’s rhetoric on border security. She accused Trump of failing to address the root causes of migration and touted her plan for immigration reform, which includes creating a pathway to citizenship for certain undocumented immigrants. Harris’s stance on immigration aligns with the Democratic Party’s platform, contrasting with Trump’s calls for mass deportations.
Despite the policy differences between Harris and Trump, supporters at the rally expressed enthusiasm for the Democratic ticket’s energy and vision for the future. Many attendees, like Krista Hall and Thaddeus Hager, compared the excitement surrounding Harris and Walz to Barack Obama’s campaigns in 2008. They expressed confidence in the Democratic candidates’ ability to win the election and bring about positive change. The campaign’s focus on key battleground states, including Nevada, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan, underscores the importance of these regions in securing electoral votes for victory on Election Day.
