In the latest installment of our “Meet the Candidates” series, the two contenders for California’s 11th congressional district shared their visions for a fairer tax system. Both candidates argue that the nation’s most affluent families and the biggest corporations must pay their fair share to rebuild programs weakened by the tax cuts enacted under the former administration.
Scott Wiener – progressive taxation for essential services
State Senator Wiener, 56, has lived in San Francisco since 1997 and relies on public transit and walking. He pledged to repeal the Bush and Trump tax cuts that, according to his office, have cost the federal government nearly $10 trillion in revenue. Wiener supports the ultra‑millionaire tax championed by Senator Elizabeth Warren, which would impose a wealth tax on individuals with more than $50 million in net worth and a higher rate for those with even greater fortunes. The revenue, he says, would be directed toward health care, affordable housing, child‑care and clean‑energy projects that benefit working families.
Connie Chan – a “Working People’s Plan” for families
Supervisor Chan, 47, grew up in San Francisco and commutes by car, transit and foot. Her “Working People’s Plan” calls for a tax on fortunes above $50 million, a corporate minimum tax, and the closure of carried‑interest and offshore loopholes. Chan also wants to tax excessive CEO compensation and companies that replace workers with artificial intelligence. Households earning $400,000 or less would receive expanded credits for child‑care, education, health care and first‑time home purchases. Notably, Chan is the only candidate in the race who backs Proposition 40, a state‑wide billionaire tax that would require California’s wealthiest to help offset the fiscal damage caused by the previous administration’s cuts.
Why the tax debate matters to San Franciscans
California voters will decide on Proposition 40 on Nov. 3, a measure that would levy a tax on anyone with wealth exceeding $1 billion. The initiative has already attracted tens of millions of dollars from those who oppose it, fearing a flight of billionaires from the state. Both Wiener and Chan argue that the tax is a necessary step to fund the city’s decimated social safety net and to invest in the future of San Francisco’s families.
Endorsements and community support
Wiener’s campaign is endorsed by the California Democratic Party, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Sierra Club, San Francisco YIMBY, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, the North Coast States Carpenters Union and Dolores Huerta, among others. Chan enjoys the backing of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Senator Adam Schiff, Congressman Ro Khanna, the California Federation of Labor Unions, SEIU California, the San Francisco Labor Council, the Working Families Party and the San Francisco Tenant’s Union.
Both candidates emphasize that a progressive tax structure is not about penalizing success but about ensuring that the nation’s most prosperous citizens contribute to the common good. Their proposals aim to restore funding for health care, housing, education and clean‑energy initiatives that have suffered under the previous administration’s tax reductions.
San Franciscans can learn more about each candidate’s platform and register to vote via the sf.gov website.
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
