Kyle Kuzma might have money, but he doesn’t have Elon Musk money. Still, for some reason, he feels the need to defend the billionaire and just how much he pays in taxes every year.
The Washington Wizards baller retweeted a story from CNN on Wednesday, December 29 that said Elon Musk will owe $11 billion in taxes–the largest amount ever for an individual. As he retweeted it, Kuzma mocked the argument that “the rich don’t pay taxes.”
“ThE rIcH DoNt PaY tAxEs,” he wrote, implying that Musk paying billions of dollars in taxes–regardless of the actual percentages–proves that idea wrong.
“ThE rIcH DoNt PaY tAxEs” https://t.co/Tovh6Bv2LJ
— kuz (@kylekuzma) December 29, 2021
Obviously, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the richest person in recorded history would face a tax bill that mirrors that, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. What Kyle Kuzma (and others making the same argument as him) fail to understand is that the complaint has always been that the rich don’t pay their fair share, not that they don’t pay taxes at all.
Earlier this month, Elon tweeted that he will be paying $11 billion in taxes.
Writer Anya Overmann helped put that sum into perspective, also mentioning a ProPublica investigation which found that Musk didn’t pay federal income tax for years.
“That’s 4.5% of your net worth,” she tweeted at Musk. “You paid 3.27% between 2014 and 2018, & no fed taxes at all in 2018. You made $36 billion in ONE DAY in 2021. Most US ppl pay 10 to 37% in fed taxes & up to 13.3% in state taxes. Stop vying for sympathy from people who pay and pay your fair share.”
That's 4.5% of your net worth. You paid 3.27% between 2014 and 2018, & no fed taxes at all in 2018. You made $36 billion in ONE DAY in 2021. Most US ppl pay 10 to 37% in fed taxes & up to 13.3% in state taxes. Stop vying for sympathy from people who pay and pay your fair share.
— Anya Overmann (@AnyaLOvermann) December 21, 2021
Sure, $11 billion sounds like a lot–but 4.5% is a fraction of what the rest of us regular folk will pay in taxes every single year.
Of course, people were quick to criticize Kuzma, though it’s not surprising that a billionaire is okay with another rich guy paying less than his fair share.
“once i touch a lil bit of money this socialist shit over” https://t.co/PA1ZAoSjrm pic.twitter.com/hWeJE0okcS
— mr electric (@imsamonline) December 30, 2021
white people were really spitting when they said shut up and dribble lmao, i might owe them an apology https://t.co/HUrMTyiEwJ
— we teach bottoms to shrink themselves (@Chrissssssw) December 30, 2021
I don’t know what’s worse, your shot selection or your tweet selection https://t.co/5Iysk2bLT4
— LeBong James (@bitchimbabykeem) December 29, 2021
Stop passing these kids so that can qualify to play ball https://t.co/MbpQ6NOdrd
— A Handsome Boy (@_Tamsey) December 29, 2021
I hope whatever Forever 21 store you shop at closes down forever on god https://t.co/tS4GSu39f2
— D.O.C (@darwinchvz320) December 29, 2021
Source: bossip