Former President Donald Trump’s campaign released a new website on Tuesday that calculates how much more voters in each state could pay in taxes if Vice President Kamala Harris were to become president and let the Trump tax cuts expire.
The website, named KamalaTaxIncrease.com, aims to highlight the financial burden American taxpayers would face under a Harris administration, according to Trump’s team.
The website uses data from the Washington, D.C.-based think tank, the Tax Foundation, to show how much more residents in each state could expect to pay in taxes if the Trump-era tax cuts, enacted in 2017, are not extended.
The site claims that “Kamala Harris voted against the Trump Tax Cuts and will let them expire if she’s elected,” with an emphasis on Harris’ stance during her time in office.
Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt, in an interview with Fox News Digital, stated, “Democrats in Washington don’t care about you – they will work together with Kamala Harris to make sure you pay more taxes and have less money in your pocket. According to the Tax Foundation, if the Trump Tax Cuts expire, most taxpayers will see a notable tax increase.”
The website features a map displaying a state-by-state breakdown of tax hikes, with estimates showing that the average tax increase across the U.S. would be $2,580.57.
Blue states such as California and Washington are expected to face higher tax increases, with estimates of $3,360 and $4,375 respectively.
Meanwhile, swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin are also highlighted, as these residents could see significant tax hikes averaging more than $2,000 annually.
“When Kamala is in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin this week – will she tell voters that on average they will pay more than $2,000 in extra taxes each year if she is elected and lets the Trump Tax Cuts expire?” Leavitt asked. “The choice is simple – more money in your pockets with President Trump or higher taxes with Kamala Harris.”
Florida and Nevada residents also stand to see tax increases, with estimates showing hikes of $3,505 and $3,523, respectively. Wyoming could see the highest average increase of $4,254 per year, according to the data.
The website provides further functionality with a tax calculator that allows individuals to enter their personal information, such as income and marital status, to estimate how much more they would pay in taxes under a Harris presidency.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, passed by Trump and Republican lawmakers, significantly reformed the nation’s tax code by reducing the top individual income tax rate from 39.6% to 37% and nearly doubling the standard deduction.
However, the law is set to expire in 2025. Vice President Harris has pledged to reverse these cuts and has proposed raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% while significantly increasing small business tax deductions.
At a rally in May, Trump reiterated his promise to make his 2017 tax cuts permanent if re-elected. “Instead of a Biden tax hike, I’ll give you a Trump middle-class, upper-class, lower-class, business-class – big tax cut. You’re going to have the biggest tax cut,” Trump said.
In contrast, Harris has promised not to raise taxes on individuals making less than $400,000 per year.
However, critics argue that her policies, including proposed tariffs on imported goods, could lead to higher costs for American families.
The Tax Foundation’s Center for Tax Policy has estimated that Trump’s tariff plans, which include a 10%-20% tariff on all imports and a 60% tariff on goods from China, could result in an average increase of over $6,000 per household.
The debate over tax policy has reignited as the 2024 election approaches, with both sides drawing stark contrasts in their economic visions for the country.
While Trump pushes for continued tax cuts and economic growth, Harris and the Democrats argue for increased government revenue to fund social programs and reduce income inequality.