AFT Supports Cutting Taxes on Working Class and Raising Taxes on Millionaires

WHEREAS, the AFT stands as a champion for economic, social and racial justice, rooted in the belief that every worker deserves dignity, fair compensation and economic security; and

WHEREAS, our union encompasses a diverse membership, including paraprofessionals and school-related personnel, adjunct faculty, early childhood educators, healthcare professionals including retirees, some of whom earn less than $40,000 annually and face escalating living costs; and

WHEREAS, the current federal tax system disproportionately favors billionaires and burdens the working class, while enabling the ultra-wealthy to exploit loopholes, exacerbating income inequality and undermining the principle that no one should be taxed into poverty; and

WHEREAS, the AFT supports legislation that aligns with our commitment to combating economic inequality, as articulated in our resolution “Attack Economic Inequality,” which calls for fair tax policies, living wages and the protection of workers’ rights; and

WHEREAS, such legislation includes the Cost of Living Tax Cut Relief Act, which establishes a cost-of-living exemption on federal income taxes up to the median cost of living for a single adult with no children (currently $41,600) and shifts responsibility from the working class to the millionaire class through a millionaires surtax, thereby promoting tax equity and generating revenue to offset the cost-of-living exemption:

RESOLVED, that the AFT endorses the Cost of Living Tax Cut Relief Act and will advocate for its enactment as a means of moving toward an effective and fair taxation system—one where millionaires and billionaires pay higher rates than working people; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will continue to pursue comprehensive strategies to address systemic inequities, including advocating for fair wages, benefits and working conditions for working-class people; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT executive council reaffirms our unwavering commitment to the principle that every worker deserves respect, economic security and the opportunity to live with dignity, and will continue to champion policies that reflect these values.

Adopted May 28, 2025