Published: Sunday, September 26, 2010
Taking sides / Initiative 1107
Yes: Repeal Olympia’s sloppy, unfair tax hikes
We are two of the nearly 30,000 Washington taxpayers, farmers, food makers and grocers who have joined the statewide coalition that supports a YES vote on Initiative 1107.
As you may know, Initiative 1107 is the measure that will repeal the costly and unfair new taxes the politicians in Olympia recently imposed on food and beverage products made and sold in Washington.
They put new taxes on bottled water. They put new taxes on beverages like carbonated fruit juice and tea. They also put new taxes on Washington-made canned and packaged food products made with meat, fruits and vegetables.
These new taxes will cost Washington state consumers and businesses more than $300 million over the next three years.
Even worse, the politicians rushed this new tax scheme through, but they didn’t think it through.
As a result, the Legislature’s new tax scheme for food and beverages is poorly written and makes no sense.
For example, consider the botched job the Legislature did when they put sales taxes on “candy.”
Under the Legislature’s absurd definition of “candy,” many products like organic food bars and sugar-free snacks are taxed as “candy” — while hundreds of real candy products like Twix and Kit Kat bars are exempt from the tax.
The Legislature also made a “mistake” in the way they defined soft drink “bottlers.” As a result, they imposed new taxes on small Washington state bottlers who were supposed to be exempted from the Legislature’s new taxes on soda.
The politicians publicly acknowledged they made that mistake. Then they let it stand — even though it puts small local bottlers at a competitive disadvantage, at a time when they are already struggling to make ends meet.
On top of that, the politicians increased taxes on locally-made canned and packaged food products that contain meat, fruit and vegetables. But under the Legislature’s tax scheme, those taxes only apply to products made by local food processors, not to similar imported products made by their competitors in other states or countries.
This processed food tax puts Washington food makers at a competitive disadvantage. And it hurts other Washington businesses, growers and suppliers that depend on our Washington-based companies for jobs.
The Legislature’s new taxes on food and beverages is also unfair to consumers. Directly or indirectly, the costs get passed on to them. And, taxes on food and beverages are regressive. They have the biggest impact on working families and people who can least afford it.
Initiative 1107 will end all of the new and higher taxes the Legislature put on food and beverages.
Nearly 400,000 Washington voters signed petitions to place 1107 on the November state ballot. And, nearly 30,000 Washington state taxpayers, farmers, food makers, bottlers and grocers have joined the coalition that supports a YES vote on 1107.
We believe the Legislature’s new tax scheme for food and beverages is wrong and unfair. It also sets a dangerous precedent. If they tax bottled water and candy today, what grocery products will they tax tomorrow?
If we don’t send a clear message to the politicians in Olympia NOW to keep taxes out of our grocery carts, they will think they can get away with taxing even more food, beverage and grocery products in the future.
As farmers in Snohomish County for more than 30 years, as Washington citizens, and as consumers and taxpayers, we urge voters to join us in voting YES on 1107 — to end the Legislature’s costly and arbitrary new tax scheme and to stop taxes on groceries.
Ed and Roxanne Husmann own and operate Ed’s Apples in Sultan. For more information, or to join the YES on 1107 Coalition, visit www.VoteYESon1107.com.
As you may know, Initiative 1107 is the measure that will repeal the costly and unfair new taxes the politicians in Olympia recently imposed on food and beverage products made and sold in Washington.
They put new taxes on bottled water. They put new taxes on beverages like carbonated fruit juice and tea. They also put new taxes on Washington-made canned and packaged food products made with meat, fruits and vegetables.
These new taxes will cost Washington state consumers and businesses more than $300 million over the next three years.
Even worse, the politicians rushed this new tax scheme through, but they didn’t think it through.
As a result, the Legislature’s new tax scheme for food and beverages is poorly written and makes no sense.
For example, consider the botched job the Legislature did when they put sales taxes on “candy.”
Under the Legislature’s absurd definition of “candy,” many products like organic food bars and sugar-free snacks are taxed as “candy” — while hundreds of real candy products like Twix and Kit Kat bars are exempt from the tax.
The Legislature also made a “mistake” in the way they defined soft drink “bottlers.” As a result, they imposed new taxes on small Washington state bottlers who were supposed to be exempted from the Legislature’s new taxes on soda.
The politicians publicly acknowledged they made that mistake. Then they let it stand — even though it puts small local bottlers at a competitive disadvantage, at a time when they are already struggling to make ends meet.
On top of that, the politicians increased taxes on locally-made canned and packaged food products that contain meat, fruit and vegetables. But under the Legislature’s tax scheme, those taxes only apply to products made by local food processors, not to similar imported products made by their competitors in other states or countries.
This processed food tax puts Washington food makers at a competitive disadvantage. And it hurts other Washington businesses, growers and suppliers that depend on our Washington-based companies for jobs.
The Legislature’s new taxes on food and beverages is also unfair to consumers. Directly or indirectly, the costs get passed on to them. And, taxes on food and beverages are regressive. They have the biggest impact on working families and people who can least afford it.
Initiative 1107 will end all of the new and higher taxes the Legislature put on food and beverages.
Nearly 400,000 Washington voters signed petitions to place 1107 on the November state ballot. And, nearly 30,000 Washington state taxpayers, farmers, food makers, bottlers and grocers have joined the coalition that supports a YES vote on 1107.
We believe the Legislature’s new tax scheme for food and beverages is wrong and unfair. It also sets a dangerous precedent. If they tax bottled water and candy today, what grocery products will they tax tomorrow?
If we don’t send a clear message to the politicians in Olympia NOW to keep taxes out of our grocery carts, they will think they can get away with taxing even more food, beverage and grocery products in the future.
As farmers in Snohomish County for more than 30 years, as Washington citizens, and as consumers and taxpayers, we urge voters to join us in voting YES on 1107 — to end the Legislature’s costly and arbitrary new tax scheme and to stop taxes on groceries.
Ed and Roxanne Husmann own and operate Ed’s Apples in Sultan. For more information, or to join the YES on 1107 Coalition, visit www.VoteYESon1107.com.
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