TODAY: Clash of the Titans: Debating the California Wealth Tax on Billionaires
Join us today, Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 6:00 PM at Jarvis Auditorium, UC Berkeley. This event highlights a high-level economic discussion between two prominent figures on the implications of taxing billionaires in California.
Watch this event on livestream
Dr. Laffer, a prominent advocate of supply-side economics, and Dr. Emmanuel Saez, a leading expert on inequality and taxation, will debate California’s proposed wealth tax, a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of the state’s billionaire residents.
Moderated by Dr. Alan Auerbach, the conversation will explore the broader economic and structural implications of the proposal. Representing the supply-side perspective, Dr. Laffer is expected to argue that high taxes on capital can accelerate wealth flight and reduce long-term economic growth. Conversely, Dr. Saez, whose research laid the groundwork for this very proposal, might present the case for how targeted taxation can address rising wealth concentration and support investment in social services.
With California serving as a legislative testing ground for the nation, this event will tackle fundamental questions at the intersection of theory and practice. It offers a rare chance to see core macroeconomic principles applied in a real-world context, as participants will witness a high-level, multi-partisan clash of ideas and see how academic theory translates into active policy discourse.
This debate will also feature a live audience Q&A session.