Posted on 06/04/2025 7:36:15 AM PDT by Red Badger
The senator is pushing for a different approach that would treat people with similar earnings more equally.
*************************************************************
Sen. Thom Tillis indicated Tuesday that he wants significant changes to Republicans’ plans to cut taxes on tips, one of President Donald Trump’s top priorities in the megabill now before lawmakers.
The House-approved draft of the tip proposal is unfair to people who work in industries where tipping isn’t customary, the North Carolina Republican told POLITICO. He complained that a waiter would qualify for the break but a warehouse worker would not, even if they had similar incomes.
Tillis, a tax writer, said he wants a different approach that would treat people with similar earnings more equally.
He also raised the possibility of dropping the $40 billion tip proposal from the legislation altogether, noting the idea has bipartisan support and expressing doubt that Democrats would stop Republicans from passing it separately later.
“Maybe there’s a different way to achieve what they’re setting out to do,” he said.
Tillis’ comments come as Senate Republican leaders say they intend to make changes to the sprawling tax, energy and immigration package approved last month by the House and still get it to Trump’s desk by their July 4 recess. That could be difficult if individual senators, who have lots of leverage given Republicans’ thin majority in the chamber, demand major changes.
Trump campaigned on making tips tax-free, and the House draft would create a new tip deduction for people in industries where tipping is customary so long as they don’t make more than $160,000.
One alternative, Tillis said, would be to create “some other benefit” available to a wider swathe of workers but, to keep the budgetary cost down, limit it to people with lower incomes.
Tillis also said he doubted Democrats would oppose the plan if Republicans tried to move it separately later, noting the chamber late last month unanimously approved a different bill by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to nix taxes on tips.
“I’m at a loss for what Democrats would vote against it,” said Tillis. “They’ve already evidenced that they’re worried about voting ‘no’.”
It is politico jerking gullible conservatives ...
In my state, tip earning staff still make minimum wage. When I worked in restaurants there were times when wait staff would have paychecks for zero when accounting for deductions. I worked fine dining where the bill for two top would be $120 and up, (this was in the early 2000’s).
Singling out tipped employees is not fair. Trump needs to drop this issue and move to eliminating taxes for everyone. Get rid of payroll tax and replace with a national sales tax or something so that even illegals and welfare queens have skin on the game.
Of course they would. It's because of people like Tillis that Republican frogs like Tillis always get stung by the scorpion Democrats.
-PJ
I would say tip employment is feast or famine too, with less stability of income than other employment.
He’s a RINO.................
We HAVE TO get rid of Tillis next year. I will certainly do my part. He’s not liked at all here in North Carolina.
If we were just to limit federal spending to those items actually authorized by the Constitution we could cut taxes for everyone.
If working for tips is so bad then take the warehouse job.
Tillis is correct in theory all income should be treated equally. Tips are earned they are not a gift. If tips are not taxed then everyone should work for tips.
But, I believe Trump is making a mockery of the income tax which could lead to its demise. Also Trump sees all matters of taxation as levers to negotiate deals or to buy votes. The democrats lie and disguise their motives Trump is extremely transparent. Trump is uses all the Democrats tools. Forcing them to either strike him down by the judiciary or submit. Either way is win. If it’s struck down it’s one less power they can exercise. Trump sees it.
RINO conspiring with Dems to do good for the taxpayer tomorrow.
All the cockroaches are out with their knives now...
FREE BEER TOMORROW!....................
Also, if it becomes law that tipped employees are exempt from taxes, the every factory worker, heck, every wage employee should be paid 2$/hour and just have a big tip applied to their paycheck.
He actually has a point later in the article.
Just pass the no tax on tips portion of the bill separately, because it will get Dem votes.
Should be possible to get it through the House, too.
This may be better than adding to the media hype of total numbers for the BBB with the tax on tips item hitting that revenue number for scoring.
Just do it separately.
He’s also not getting re-elected. If the Republicans don’t drop him in the primary, this seat will go democrat.
Oh, for crying out loud.
No fair doing a clean tax break. It has to be convoluted and nuanced so that Tillis’ friends get $ and actual tip workers spend their money on tax preparation.
Contemplating pros and cons of performance based pay for everyone…
(Annoying wrinkle; “tip” is generally interpreted as performance pay from a customer whereas performance pay from the employer is a “bonus.”
They need to cut spending.
The old GOP has a big lesson coming after Trump leaves office in January of 2029. People won't tolerate this kind of arrogance any more.
Cornyn, Lankford, and Tillis are three GOP senators who will be primaried. Advocacy for the other side, like Cornyn and Lankford, or pulling sht like this just for the meanness of it like Tillis will equal career suicide, and Tillis seems to be even stupider than the other two.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.