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At a forum organized by retirees, congressional candidates appeal for the organization’s first-ever endorsement in a race for public office.
At a candidate forum hosted by California Alliance for Retired Americans, the two contenders for California’s 11th Congressional District seat agreed: High earners should pay more into Social Security…
In his opening remarks, Wiener supported changing the payroll tax cap, or the maximum amount of annual earnings subject to the Social Security payroll tax, which is currently $184,500. ”If you make $10 million a year,” Wiener said, “you pay the exact same amount into Social Security as that person who makes $184,500 a year.”
Chan’s opening made no mention of Social Security but she spoke about pushing for progressive taxation broadly.
Once the candidates started taking questions, the San Francisco Public Press asked, “Would you support eliminating the Social Security payroll tax cap, so that income above $184,500 is taxed the same as income below it? If not, would you support raising it?”
Wiener reiterated his position on raising the cap, adding a proposal to also restart the tax at $400,000 or $500,000.
Chan agreed: “I’m absolutely in agreement of lifting that cap, because the system is not equitable. We need to make sure that people who can pay are paying their fair share into the system.”
She went further, arguing that lifting the payroll tax cap isn’t enough. She said she wants broader progressive taxation on the wealthy to fund other aspects of the social safety net. Wiener also talked about supporting stronger progressive taxation and the need to reverse President Trump’s corporate tax cuts.
The candidates otherwise differ on taxing the ultra-wealthy. Chan supports Proposition 40, California’s one-time tax on billionaires, and backed San Francisco’s “Overpaid CEO Tax,” which voters rejected in June. Wiener opposed both…
Bay Area per capita income runs about triple the national average and the median pay in the technology industry clears the $184,500 cap outright. A change in the payroll tax cap would certainly affect this district of high-income earners… (more)
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