Explore Candidates → Mike Gravel on Taxes and Budget

Mike Gravel on Taxes and Budget

The federal government is largely funded by a diversity of different taxes on income and commerce. The relationship between taxes and federal budget is very intimate and historically democrats and republicans have split on how to manage the relationship. This topic includes information about candidate positions on: raising, reducing, and eliminating certain taxes, a federal flat-tax system, and balancing the federal budget.

The issues

Mike Gravel supports an increase in taxes for the wealthiest Americans

The tax code stands that high and there's not a human being alive that understands it. Do you think it's accident that all of a sudden we wake up & the wealthy aren't paying a fair share? The only way they're going to pay a fair share is wipe out the income tax--it is corrupt, it's corrupting our society--and begin to put in place a tax that everybody will know what everybody's paying, and that's a retail sales tax. You can make it progressive. A tax where everybody will know what everybody is paying

2007 Democratic Primary Debate at Howard University Jun 28, 2007

We ought to wipe out the income tax, wipe it out! It's the most regressive, unfair system of taxation in the world, and it's what's causing us to lose our jobs. It brought about the Rust Belt.

2007 AFSCME Democratic primary debate in Carson City Nevada Feb 21, 2007

Mike Gravel is neutral on tax cuts for middle-class families

Senator Gravel supports the FairTax proposal that calls for eliminating the Internal Revenue Service and the income tax and replacing it with a progressive national sales tax of between tax inclusive 19 and 23 percent on newly manufactured items and services. As compensation for necessities, such as food, there would be a “prebate” to untax households up to the poverty level. He calculates that an average family of three that lives below the poverty level would receive an additional $3,000 a year.

link (quote)

Mike Gravel opposes a Constitutional amendment that would require Congress and the President to balance the budget each year

Supports giving people the right to amend Constitution through National Democracy initiative; also says we should "strive for [a] balanced budget," language that suggests he is opposed to a balanced budget amendment.

link (quote)

Mike Gravel strongly opposes a flat tax system across income levels

Senator Gravel supports the FairTax proposal that calls for eliminating the Internal Revenue Service and the income tax and replacing it with a progressive national sales tax of between tax inclusive 19 and 23 percent on newly manufactured items and services. As compensation for necessities, such as food, there would be a "prebate" to untax households up to the poverty level. He calculates that an average family of three that lives below the poverty level would receive an additional $3,000 a year.

link (quote)

Mike Gravel supports eliminating taxes on estates after an individual's death

Statement on FOX News--wants to get rid of income taxes and replace with national sales tax.

link (quote)

Mike Gravel supports the elimination of the marriage penalty which more greatly taxes couples with similar incomes

Supports the elimination of income tax and installation of national sales tax

link (vote)

Mike Gravel supports the elimination of the Alternative Minimum Tax

Would repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (in addition to all forms of federal income tax) through the FairTax initiative.

link (quote)

Mike Gravel supports the reduction of taxes on capital gains

Supports FairTax, which would install a national sales tax instead of income tax

link (quote)