Taxpayers See Benefits of One Big Beautiful Bill
Once again, April 15th has reminded us of the need for reform.
For most Americans, April 15th needs no explanation. It’s the day the government comes calling. The bill is never small. It’s worth pausing to ask: how did we get here, and what does this day mean for Pennsylvania’s hardworking families?
The story of Tax Day goes back further than most people realize. The first federal income tax in American history was signed into law by Abraham Lincoln in 1861, at the time a modest 3% on incomes above $800. This was to fund the Union Army during the Civil War. It was repealed a decade later, but the idea never died.
In 1913, Congress ratified the 16th Amendment, making the income tax permanent. They introduced the Form 1040, a document that has burdened families ever since. The first filing deadline was March 1st. In 1918, Congress moved it to March 15th. In 1954, during a sweeping tax code overhaul under President Eisenhower, April 15th became the official deadline. This gave the growing middle class more time to file. It also gave the federal government a little longer to hold your money.
Seventy years later, April 15th still burdens families across the nation. And for Pennsylvanians, what’s also still with us is an ever-growing tax burden that stretches from Washington to Harrisburg.
Consider this: Pennsylvania families are squeezed at nearly every turn. The Commonwealth has one of the highest combined tax burdens in the nation. Nowhere is that more visible and painful than at the gas pump. According to the most recent tax data, Pennsylvania levies 57.6 cents per gallon in state gas taxes alone, making it the second-highest gas tax in the entire country—trailing only California. When you add in the federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, Pennsylvania drivers are paying over 76 cents in combined taxes on every single gallon of gasoline they pump.
Think about that the next time you fill up. You’re not just buying fuel but funding a tax structure that ranks among the worst in the nation for hardworking people.
Yet, despite that enormous burden, PennDOT still faces budget shortfalls. Pennsylvanians are told to pay increasingly more while, year after year, our roads and bridges are not up to par.
The burden doesn’t stop at the pump. Income taxes, property taxes, and a tight regulatory environment squeeze small businesses and families alike. Too many Pennsylvanians are working harder just to stay in place.
There’s good news! In Washington, D.C., this Congress delivered something historic for the people of this Commonwealth. Last July 4th—fittingly, Independence Day—President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill. It’s also known as the Working Families Tax Cuts. Now that Tax Day has arrived, Pennsylvania families are feeling the benefits.
The Working Families Tax Cut prevented an average $2,500 tax hike on every taxpayer in Pennsylvania. For some, that covers a significant portion of a family’s annual grocery bill. For others, it’s a vacation or an emergency fund.
On a day when many Pennsylvanians write checks they didn’t want to, it’s worth remembering something. The fight over who keeps more of their paycheck is never finished. The tax burden here remains too high. The work of reform is far from complete. However, for the first time in a long while, Washington has done something that helps the families bearing that burden.
That’s certainly worth celebrating on Tax Day.
Join us in thanking the 119th Congress for preventing the largest tax hike in American history by heading to ProtectProsperity.com!
This is Emily Brey, State Director with Americans for Prosperity-PA.
