Mary Peltola’s Tax Stance: A Look Back
Mary Peltola, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate from Alaska, backed tax initiatives during her time in the Alaska House that would have introduced income taxes for residents. This was years before she would position tax cuts as a cornerstone of her 2026 affordability plan.
Previously known as Kapsner, Peltola was among five lawmakers who, in 2002, participated in private meetings to develop a tax strategy. This plan included a 1.5 percent statewide income tax aimed at generating nearly $300 million, a similar sales tax, and additional taxes on gasoline, alcohol, and cruise ship passengers, projected to raise another $200 million.
In 2002, Peltola voted twice in favor of the income tax, which would have placed the highest tax burden on middle-income Alaskans.
A May 2002 editorial in the Anchorage Daily News criticized the proposal, labeling it the “misnamed Alaska Fair Tax,” arguing that it unfairly targeted the middle class to safeguard the wealthy.
In 2004, she supported another statewide income tax, co-sponsoring legislation that would have required many Alaskans to contribute an extra 15 to 20 percent of their federal tax obligations to the state.
Now, Peltola asserts that she intends to “lower taxes,” stating that “Alaskans should be able to keep more of the money that they earn in their own pockets. That’s why I’ll fight to cut taxes for more than half of hardworking Alaskans.”
Despite the tax cuts from President Trump that were touted as significant relief for the middle class, Peltola has referred to them as “damaging.” For instance, tax filers earning between $100,000 and $200,000 averaged over $1,250 in cuts, while those in the $50,000 to $100,000 bracket saw reductions of over $815.
Peltola has heavily emphasized her connection to fishing in her political branding and her campaign for the Senate in 2026, with elements like a salmon-themed video game and a supportive super PAC dubbed the Fish Family Freedom Fund. However, during her tenure in Congress, she hasn’t sponsored any fish-related legislation. Throughout nearly ten years in the Alaska House, she introduced a single bill—a loan program aimed at helping fishermen who were behind on taxes by allowing them to borrow money and repay it with interest. It’s worth noting that Peltola missed 794 votes out of over 4,000 during five terms in the Alaska House, a statistic that her campaign attributed to maternity leave and other obligations, claiming she missed about six percent of votes when excluding excused absences.
