Paradise, Nevada – While Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz prepared for a campaign rally on the city’s famed Vegas Strip on Saturday, ride-share drivers vocally voiced their support for former President Trump’s plan to eliminate taxes on tips.
In June, President Trump announced that he would implement a tip tax exemption for workers who depend on tips for the majority of their income, such as taxi drivers, hospitality industry workers, and waiters.
“[F]Or hotel workers and people who get tips are going to be very happy because when I’m in office, I’m not going to tax tips. … This has been a controversial topic for years, but you guys provide great service and you take care of people, and I think this is really going to be a well-deserved return,” Trump said at the time.
President Trump’s announcement came around the same time that Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Kevin Cramer (R-Nurse) became co-sponsors of the “Tip Ban Act.”
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“I was shocked,” Michael, a ride-share driver in Las Vegas, told Fox News Digital on Saturday. (Fox News Digital)
Busy ride-share drivers in Las Vegas, who declined to give their last names and asked to remain anonymous, told Fox News Digital that they will likely vote for Trump given his “no tip tax” pledge.
Reed, a Democrat who has said he will vote for Trump this fall, said the plan is just another reason he looks forward to casting his ballot for the former president.
“Personally, it’s great. It’s fantastic,” Reed said as he drove west on Tropicana Boulevard toward the resort town of New York, New York.
Reid added that one of her friends also works in the service industry and makes almost half her annual income from tips, and that she was “never a Trump supporter or fan” in the past.
“Until he said, ‘I’m not going to tax tips.’ … Now she’s going to vote for Trump on that issue alone.”
Michael, who was waiting for passengers at a nearby casino, described the plan as “amazing.”
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Luis, a ride-share driver from Cuba, told Fox News Digital on Saturday. (Fox News Digital)
“I’m an independent,” Michael said. “And [Trump] I’m going to vote for him.”
Another driver, who declined to give his name, described the scheme as “absolutely brilliant”.
“I don’t like the way that politician works. [President] “Everything’s more expensive with Biden,” he said, adding that rising gasoline prices, in addition to tip taxes, are hurting his bottom line.
He added that ride-share employers also have expenses like gas and taxes that eat into their take-home pay after they deduct fees.
Ruiz, a Cuban immigrant, said he supports the policy because “overhead costs” have increased in recent years.
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A Las Vegas ride-share driver is speaking out about former President Trump’s plan to exempt tips from taxation. (Fox News Digital)
“For me, it’s a good thing,” Adanis said in Spanish, adding that he hopes the next president will also lower gasoline prices.
He echoed the concerns of other drivers that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to make enough money from his job, due to taxes, fuel costs, maintenance fees and the ride-sharing companies’ cuts.
Other drivers made a similar argument, noting that rising costs across ride-sharing are driving people to cheaper, subsidized but slower public transportation options.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
