California Controller Malia M. Cohen wants Congress to change the tax code to cap deferred payments, a change that could ensure the state is owed more money from Shohei Ohtani.
Cohen made the request four weeks after the two-way star and the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a record $700 million, 10-year contract that contains $680 million in deferred payments due from 2034-43. If Ohtani is not living in California at the time he receives the deferred money, he potentially could avoid what currently is the state’s 13.3% income tax and 1.1% payroll tax for State Disability Insurance.
“The current tax system allows for unlimited deferrals for those fortunate enough to be in the highest tax brackets, creating a significant imbalance in the tax structure,” Cohen said in a statement Monday. “The absence of reasonable caps on deferral for the wealthiest individuals exacerbates income inequality and hinders the fair distribution of taxes. I would urge Congress to take immediate and decisive action to rectify this imbalance.”
