Golden Backs Bipartisan Legislation to Make Pro-Worker Changes to Tax Bill
Golden cosponsors Tax Fairness for Workers Act, new legislation to allow union members to deduct union dues & unreimbursed work expenses
WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) cosponsored the Tax Fairness for Workers Act this week to provide tax relief to Maine workers. The bipartisan legislation makes an important change to the 2017 tax bill, restoring the ability of American workers to deduct their union dues, as well as unreimbursed work expenses, from their federal taxes.
"It's not ok to take tax deductions away from working, middle-class Americans to help offset the cost of giving big tax breaks to corporations and the rich," said Congressman Golden. "That's wrong. We need to change our tax system to help workers get ahead, and the Tax Fairness for Workers Act is a good first step."
The 2017 tax bill permanently slashed the corporate tax rate while eliminating many tax deductions working people rely on, including allowing workers to mark union dues as a tax deduction. The Tax Fairness for Workers Act reinstates this deduction ‘above the line,' meaning the deduction can be taken regardless of whether a taxpayer itemizes.
Golden has made labor issues a priority in his first term in Congress. The Tax Fairness for Workers Act has the endorsement of the Maine AFL-CIO, as well as national USW, AFL-CIO, NABTU, Teamsters, IAM, CWA, UAW, AFGE, NEA, AFT, UFCW, UMWA and AFSCME.