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- A group of 19 ultra-wealthy Americans published an open letter asking presidential candidates to support a moderate wealth tax, a copy of the letter published by The New York Times shows.
- The group includes George Soros, Abigail Disney, members of the Pritzker and Gund families, and a Facebook cofounder.
- Three married couples also signed the letter together, as well as one person who remained anonymous.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
A group of 19 ultra-wealthy Americans signed an open letter to 2020 presidential candidates asking them to support a wealth tax, a copy of the letter published by The New York Times on June 24 shows.
The signatories support the wealth tax for six reasons, according to the letter. Those include funding environmental initiatives and solving America’s climate crisis; fueling economic growth; and providing funding for public health care. In addition, the letter argues, a wealth tax is fair, patriotic, and would strengthen our democracy by reducing inequality.
Read more: Billionaires from George Soros to Abigail Disney are begging to be taxed more
Some of the signatories are multi-billionaires like George Soros, while others are little-known multimillionaires.
Of the 19 people who signed the letter, one chose to remain anonymous. Keep reading to learn more about the 18 known people who asked for a wealth tax, listed in alphabetical order.
1. Louise J. Bowditch
Facebook / Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Bowditch is a Massachusetts-based lawyer who serves on the board of trustees of the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, according to her biography on the Laboratory’s website.
She is the wife of fellow signee Robert S. Bowditch.
2. Robert S. Bowditch
Shutterstock
Bowditch is a retired Massachusetts real-estate developer. Bowditch has previously advocated for raising taxes on the wealthy: In 2010, he signed an open letter to President Obama asking him to allow tax cuts for millionaires to expire, according to a CBS affiliate in Boston.
3. Abigail Disney
Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
The granddaughter of The Walt Disney Company co-founder Roy Disney has made a name for herself as one of the company’s most outspoken critics. The 59-year-old heiress has criticized the salary of Disney CEO Bob Iger and defended Meryl Streep after she called Walt Disney a "bigot", according to CNN Business.
The letter isn’t the first time that Disney has spoken out about tax reform. Disney criticized the 2017 Republican tax bill in a NowThis video, saying the bill unfairly benefited the wealthy.
In a March 2019 interview with The Cut, Disney stayed mum on the exact size of her inheritance but noted that she could be a billionaire if she wanted to, adding that she has donated $70 million over the past 30 years.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- Disappointing photos show what 9 top luxury destinations look like in real life
- A billionaire who built 2 Fortune 500 companies just joined the chorus of ultra-wealthy Americans begging to be taxed more
- The Disney heiress who’s begging for a wealth tax says income inequality has created a ‘superclass’ in the US — and it’s putting the American dream at risk
SEE ALSO: Billionaires from George Soros to Abigail Disney are begging to be taxed more
Source: Business Insider – trogers@businessinsider.com (Taylor Nicole Rogers)