Vegas Dem, Congressional Black Caucus chair, signs on to GOP rep’s ‘No Tax on Tips’ bill

LAS VEGAS — Rep. Steven Horsford, Nevada Democrat and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, has signed on to a GOP-sponsored House bill to make tipped wages tax-free.

Horsford, a fꦇour-term House member who escorted President Biden during the latter’s abortive Vegas visit last week, came out Sunday in support of Vice President Kamala Harris’s bid to become the Democratic presidential 𒀰candidate.

The House measure, introduced by Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), mirrors a Senate bill Ted Cruz (R-Texas) launched July 9.&ꦫnbsp;

Both measures came about a month after former President Donald Trump told a Las Vegas rally that if returned to the White House, “We are going 𓂃to not charge taxes on tips, on people making tips.”

Trump’s stateme🐼nt brought massive cheers at the outdoor rally in the city’s Sunset🎀 Park, where supporters gathered in 100-plus-degree heat to support their candidate.

Days after Cruz introduced his bill, Nevada’s two senators, Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, became the only Democrats in the upper chamber to co-sponsor the measure. As of now, Horsford is the on♔ly House Democrat to co-spon🍬sor the bill.

Making tips tax-free for workers would be popular in Nevada, as thousands of residenꦜts work in the state’s hotels, casinos and restaurants — as well as adult-entertainment establishments and brothels. Tips can form a substantial part of a worker’s wages, although some businesses require sharing tips among staff or, in the case of at least one brothel, with the “house.”

Horsford was unavailable to comment on his backing of the Donalds bill, but a spokesman noted the four-term Democrat has long advocated better tax treatment of tipped workers, saying the Internal Revenue Service’s tip-allocation rate was not in line wi♏th reality.

The congressman faces a November challenge from former N꧃orth Las Vegas Mayor John Lee, a onetime ally who bolted the Democratic Party and joined the GOP in 202💧1.