Search Results for: wealth tax
Blog
Sanders, Wealth Tax Proponents Could Chase $30 Billion in Revenue Out of State
“The billionaire class no longer sees itself as part of American society,” said Sanders, a Vermont socialist and winner of the 2020 California Democratic presidential primary by 8 percentage points over eventual nominee and president Joe Biden. “They see themselves as something separate and apart, like the oligarchs of the 18th century, ...
Kerry Jackson
March 3, 2026
Blog
Spending Watch
Spending Watch: The Taxing Wealth Tax
The Taxing Wealth Tax Wayne Winegarden February 2026 To his credit, Governor Newsom is vowing to stop the wealth tax. As we noted in our response to Governor Newsom’s January budget, just the possibility that a 5 percent wealth tax will appear on the November ballot is having a chilling ...
Wayne Winegarden
February 4, 2026
Blog
Spending Watch
Spending Watch: The Unpleasant Arithmetic of a California Wealth Tax
Spending Watch: The Unpleasant Arithmetic of a California Wealth Tax Wayne Winegarden October 2025 A just proposed initiative to impose a one-time wealth tax on billionaires summarizes why California has fallen from the fourth to the fifth largest economy in the world. State policymakers continually view the private sector as ...
Wayne Winegarden
November 3, 2025
Business & Economics
Learn how PRI is fighting for taxpayers
PRI Files Amicus Brief Challenging Congress’ Power to Levy Wealth Taxes
Click here to read PRI’s amicus brief The case involves the legality of a provision of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that included a so-called mandatory repatriation tax that imposed taxes on U.S. citizens who accumulated foreign earnings from foreign corporations, even if the earnings were not distributed. ...
Pacific Research Institute
March 29, 2023
Blog
They’re Baaack! Sacramento Liberals Once Again Propose a ‘Wealth Tax’
Last week, San Jose Democratic Assemblymember Alex Lee once again proposed a “tax on extreme wealth in California.” Under Assembly Bill 293, “extreme wealth” is defined as “households with net worths of more than $50 million.” If enacted, a 1 percent tax would be applied to wealth over $50 million, ...
Tim Anaya
February 7, 2023
Business & Economics
Wealth Taxes are Economic Failures
By Wayne Winegarden and Kerry Jackson California Assemblymember Alex Lee should have studied Europe’s experiences before introducing his wealth tax proposal. Had he done so, he never would have introduced Assembly Bill 2289 that, if adopted, would impose 1% annual tax rate on couples with net worths exceeding $50 million and ...
Pacific Research Institute
March 11, 2022
Blog
The Warren Wealth Tax
California progressives’ plan to impose a wealth tax on state residents died in committee last year. Right by the Bay’s Kerry Jackson and Tim Anaya wrote about why it would hurt everyday Californians far more than its rich and famous. Unfortunately, the idea didn’t end at the California state line. ...
Rowena Itchon
March 17, 2021
Blog
Studies Show Wealth Tax Would Hurt California’s Economy
There are no state taxes on wealth in the U.S., but California is a good bet to be the first. The idea carries some political popularity, and its promises sound sweet, but what would be the reality if the legislation, Assembly Bill 2088, becomes law? A couple of Rice University ...
Kerry Jackson
August 26, 2020
Blog
Estate Tax Bill Will Do Nothing to Reduce California’s Wealth Gap
You would think that California’s current $21.4 billion budget surplus would be plenty of money to fund the spending wish list of those thwarted over the past 8 years by former Gov. Jerry Brown’s adherence to the principle of subsidiarity. Think again. In fact, much of the talk in Sacramento ...
Tim Anaya
March 28, 2019
Commentary
Newsom budget expands green subsidies taxpayers can’t afford
California is staring at a $3 billion budget deficit, but Gov. Gavin Newsom still wants to spend $200 million on electric vehicle rebates. It’s both a foolish gesture and a graphic example of why Sacramento can’t get spending under control. The funds would replace the $7,500 federal EV tax credits ...
Kerry Jackson
January 22, 2026
Sanders, Wealth Tax Proponents Could Chase $30 Billion in Revenue Out of State
“The billionaire class no longer sees itself as part of American society,” said Sanders, a Vermont socialist and winner of the 2020 California Democratic presidential primary by 8 percentage points over eventual nominee and president Joe Biden. “They see themselves as something separate and apart, like the oligarchs of the 18th century, ...
Spending Watch
Spending Watch: The Taxing Wealth Tax
The Taxing Wealth Tax Wayne Winegarden February 2026 To his credit, Governor Newsom is vowing to stop the wealth tax. As we noted in our response to Governor Newsom’s January budget, just the possibility that a 5 percent wealth tax will appear on the November ballot is having a chilling ...
Spending Watch
Spending Watch: The Unpleasant Arithmetic of a California Wealth Tax
Spending Watch: The Unpleasant Arithmetic of a California Wealth Tax Wayne Winegarden October 2025 A just proposed initiative to impose a one-time wealth tax on billionaires summarizes why California has fallen from the fourth to the fifth largest economy in the world. State policymakers continually view the private sector as ...
Learn how PRI is fighting for taxpayers
PRI Files Amicus Brief Challenging Congress’ Power to Levy Wealth Taxes
Click here to read PRI’s amicus brief The case involves the legality of a provision of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that included a so-called mandatory repatriation tax that imposed taxes on U.S. citizens who accumulated foreign earnings from foreign corporations, even if the earnings were not distributed. ...
They’re Baaack! Sacramento Liberals Once Again Propose a ‘Wealth Tax’
Last week, San Jose Democratic Assemblymember Alex Lee once again proposed a “tax on extreme wealth in California.” Under Assembly Bill 293, “extreme wealth” is defined as “households with net worths of more than $50 million.” If enacted, a 1 percent tax would be applied to wealth over $50 million, ...
Wealth Taxes are Economic Failures
By Wayne Winegarden and Kerry Jackson California Assemblymember Alex Lee should have studied Europe’s experiences before introducing his wealth tax proposal. Had he done so, he never would have introduced Assembly Bill 2289 that, if adopted, would impose 1% annual tax rate on couples with net worths exceeding $50 million and ...
The Warren Wealth Tax
California progressives’ plan to impose a wealth tax on state residents died in committee last year. Right by the Bay’s Kerry Jackson and Tim Anaya wrote about why it would hurt everyday Californians far more than its rich and famous. Unfortunately, the idea didn’t end at the California state line. ...
Studies Show Wealth Tax Would Hurt California’s Economy
There are no state taxes on wealth in the U.S., but California is a good bet to be the first. The idea carries some political popularity, and its promises sound sweet, but what would be the reality if the legislation, Assembly Bill 2088, becomes law? A couple of Rice University ...
Estate Tax Bill Will Do Nothing to Reduce California’s Wealth Gap
You would think that California’s current $21.4 billion budget surplus would be plenty of money to fund the spending wish list of those thwarted over the past 8 years by former Gov. Jerry Brown’s adherence to the principle of subsidiarity. Think again. In fact, much of the talk in Sacramento ...
Newsom budget expands green subsidies taxpayers can’t afford
California is staring at a $3 billion budget deficit, but Gov. Gavin Newsom still wants to spend $200 million on electric vehicle rebates. It’s both a foolish gesture and a graphic example of why Sacramento can’t get spending under control. The funds would replace the $7,500 federal EV tax credits ...