Bar High CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratio Companies From Federal Tax Deductions

Pass legislation barring corporations with CEO-to-worker pay ratios above 200-to-1 from claiming any federal income tax deductions — with that threshold tightening annually until it reaches 150-to-1 within ten years. Right now, the tax code is subsidizing the very companies that pay their executives the most while shortchanging their workers. According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, at least 88 major U.S. corporations paid zero federal income tax in 2025 despite reporting over $105 billion in combined pretax income. Tesla paid nothing on $5.7 billion in U.S. income. United Airlines paid nothing on $4.3 billion. These companies exploited accelerated depreciation, R&D credits, and executive stock option deductions — loopholes that collectively cost $26.7 billion in lost federal revenue in a single year. Tying deduction eligibility to pay equity is a straightforward fix. If a company can afford to pay its CEO hundreds of times more than its median worker, it can afford to pay its taxes. I want to see this proposal introduced and advanced.