John,

As we close out the year, I want to be direct about why this moment is so important. Americans for Tax Fairness has helped build support for a surtax on multimillionaires at the federal and state level.

A small surtax on income above very high thresholds would generate hundreds of billions of dollars over a decade, without touching the incomes of more than 99% of Americans. That revenue can strengthen healthcare, education, infrastructure, and other investments that make economic growth more inclusive and resilient.

Over and over again, voters have shown they understand the logic and fairness of this approach. It cuts through the noise because it’s simple, fair, and focused on the very top.

But history also shows that good ideas don’t survive without sustained organizing. Wealthy interests and their allies work nonstop to block reforms that threaten a system rigged in their favor. That’s why Americans for Tax Fairness’s work matters, connecting research to public pressure and keeping fair tax solutions like the Millionaires Surtax on the table.

And it’s why we partner with our allies in Congress, like Sen. Chris Van Hollen, the author of the Millionaires Surtax.

Please read Sen. Van Hollen’s email from yesterday below, then make an end-of-year donation to Americans for Tax Fairness to keep building the support needed to advance the Millionaires Surtax and similar reforms.

DONATE

We are heading into another pivotal year for tax policy debates. Whether proposals like this move forward will depend in large part on whether lawmakers feel real pressure from the public to act.

Every step we’ve taken toward a fairer tax system has come from people refusing to accept a status quo that rewards extreme wealth while shortchanging public investment. Progress has only happened when people organized, spoke out, and demanded policies that reflect basic fairness and shared responsibility.

With your help, we can keep pushing for a tax code that invests in opportunity, strengthens our communities, and works for everyone, not just the wealthiest few. If you believe the tax code should be fair, understandable, and focused on broad-based prosperity, I hope you’ll help us end the year strong.

Please make an end-of-year donation to Americans for Tax Fairness now to help sustain the organizing, research, and public pressure needed to keep the Millionaires Surtax moving forward and ensure the wealthiest households finally do their part.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your secure donation will go through immediately:

Let’s keep building this movement together,

David Kass
Executive Director
Americans for Tax Fairness

-- Sen. Van Hollen's email --

John,

For years, I’ve been clear about one basic truth: everyday Americans are contributing their fair share to support our nation, while many of the very richest skate by with loopholes and special tax breaks that let them avoid paying their fair share. That is not what a fair tax system looks like, and it is not what a strong democracy requires.

That’s why I continue to champion the Millionaires Surtax. It is a simple, targeted way to right this wrong by asking the wealthiest households to contribute a little more to the country that made their success possible. The policy is laser-focused. It applies only to income above roughly $1 million for individuals and $2 million for couples. More than 99% of taxpayers would not pay an additional dime.

Americans for Tax Fairness has been a critical partner in this work, helping make the case that tax fairness and economic growth go hand in hand. Their research, advocacy, and coalition-building have kept policies like the Millionaires Surtax in the national conversation, even when Washington would prefer to avoid it.

We need to keep building momentum now because when people understand that a policy is narrowly targeted, easy to administer, and designed to benefit the broad public, support grows. That is how real reform becomes possible.

To keep this fight moving in the new year, please make an end-of-year, tax deductible donation to Americans for Tax Fairness to support the organizing, research, and pressure needed to build lasting support for the Millionaires Surtax and for a tax system that ensures millionaires and billionaires are paying their fair share.

DONATE

The truth is, proposals like this don’t move on their own. Powerful interests fight aggressively to preserve a system that lets extreme wealth accumulate while public investments fall behind. That’s why sustained public pressure matters so much.

This approach is straightforward and practical. A modest surtax on multimillionaires would raise hundreds of billions of dollars over ten years, revenue we can invest in policies that expand opportunity and strengthen the foundations of our economy. That means better access to health care, stronger schools, modern infrastructure, affordable childcare, and investments that help working families get ahead.

I’ve also emphasized that there is no reason the richest people in the country should be paying lower effective tax rates than the workers they employ. The Millionaires Surtax helps correct a tax code that has become fundamentally backwards, without creating new loopholes for the wealthy to exploit.

The Millionaires Surtax is about making the American Dream more real for all families, not just those at the very top. With your support, we can keep pushing for a tax system that reflects our shared values of fairness, opportunity, and responsibility.

Please make an end-of-year, tax deductible donation to Americans For Tax Fairness to power this work in the new year.