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Bezos Calls for Elimination of Federal Income Taxes on Bottom Half of Earners

Amazon's executive chairman Jeff Bezos Wednesday advocated for eliminating federal income taxes on the bottom half of American earners. He characterized their tax burden as negligible for government coffers. The bottom 50% of taxpayers earned approximately $54,000 in adjusted gross income during 2023, while the top 1% earned at least $676,000, according to IRS data. Bezos noted the top 1% currently pays 40% of all federal tax revenue compared to just 3% from the bottom half. Using a healthcare worker earning $75,000 annually as an example, Bezos questioned why lower-income workers should contribute to federal coffers. His remarks coincide with Democratic-led state efforts to increase taxes on wealthy households and recent federal legislative proposals targeting tax relief for lower earners.