State progressives launch coordinated push to raise taxes on the rich

A coalition of left-leaning state legislators announced a new effort Thursday to tax the richest Americans, simultaneously introducing bills across eight states.

The varied bills from California, Connecticut, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York and Washington differ on the details, but all share the same goal of increasing taxes on the wealthiest Americans through measures like changing rules around capital gains and—most controversially—instituting a wealth tax.

Thursday’s move is also linked to international efforts underway this week against growing income inequality. A new letter directed to the global elites gathered in Davos pressured the leaders to increase taxes on the rich.

“The solution is plain for all to see. You, our global representatives, have to tax us, the ultra rich, and you have to start now,” read the letter, which was signed by over 200 left-leaning millionaires, including prominent names like Abigail Disney and American actor Mark Ruffalo.

And on Capitol Hill, Sen. Sanders delivered a speech Tuesday on the state of the working class where he argued “what we are witnessing now in this country is the rapid evolution of our society into an oligarchy in which the billionaire class has enormous and growing control over the economic and political life of the United States.”

“The time is long overdue for us to pay attention to oligarchy in our own country,” he said.