While our public servants in Olympia talk past each other, it’s good to remember whose money they are arguing about and where it comes from.
Washington is somewhat of an outlier when it comes to tax revenue. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it is one of only seven states with no individual income tax, and it’s one of only four with no corporate income tax. One result is that sales taxes accounted for 57.7 percent of Washington tax revenue in 2012. That’s down somewhat from 60.7 percent in 2008.
Washington tax revenue detail
| Source | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales taxes | $9,417,864,000 | $8,972,868,000 | $9,335,206,000 | $9,327,885,000 |
| Retail sales | $6,903,654,000 | $6,448,090,000 | $6,654,104,000 | $6,755,380,000 |
| Motor fuels | $1,181,459,000 | $1,238,592,000 | $1,207,447,000 | $1,176,823,000 |
| Use | $465,418,000 | $428,576,000 | $539,911,000 | $486,305,000 |
| Cigarette | $392,429,000 | $388,032,000 | $432,823,000 | $424,815,000 |
| Liquor liter | $125,116,000 | $123,000,000 | $125,256,000 | $133,250,000 |
| Liquor sales | $96,592,000 | $100,301,000 | $102,158,000 | $108,465,000 |
| Beer excise | $32,415,000 | $36,840,000 | $80,603,000 | $79,641,000 |
| Tobacco products | $30,278,000 | $33,372,000 | $46,392,000 | $46,569,000 |
| Solid waste collection | $32,480,000 | $33,258,000 | $33,585,000 | $34,281,000 |
| Brokered natural gas | $46,730,000 | $37,725,000 | $29,011,000 | $23,800,000 |
| Rental car | $22,768,000 | $21,489,000 | $23,044,000 | $23,672,000 |
| Wine excise | $21,736,000 | $22,531,000 | $22,970,000 | $23,400,000 |
| Shared tribal cigarette taxes | $5,614,000 | $6,297,000 | $7,956,000 | $7,624,000 |
| Replacement vehicle tire fee | $3,602,000 | $3,632,000 | $3,809,000 | $3,638,000 |
| Wood stove fee | $320,000 | $324,000 | $258,000 | $222,000 |
| Convention Center | $57,253,000 | $50,809,000 | $25,879,000 | $0 |
| Gross receipts taxes | $3,455,486,000 | $3,367,581,000 | $3,838,406,000 | $3,948,632,000 |
| Business and occupation | $2,650,526,000 | $2,577,618,000 | $3,014,373,000 | $3,130,753,000 |
| Insurance premiums | $408,464,000 | $405,918,000 | $413,097,000 | $430,052,000 |
| Public utility | $386,101,000 | $373,621,000 | $400,380,000 | $377,245,000 |
| Litter | $8,848,000 | $9,075,000 | $9,360,000 | $9,434,000 |
| Pari-mutuel | $1,547,000 | $1,349,000 | $1,196,000 | $1,148,000 |
| Property and excise taxes | $1,875,219,000 | $1,903,610,000 | $1,941,600,000 | $1,986,530,000 |
| State property tax levy | $1,785,323,000 | $1,822,667,000 | $1,857,334,000 | $1,898,427,000 |
| PUD privilege | $42,175,000 | $39,123,000 | $39,710,000 | $44,815,000 |
| Leasehold excise | $25,613,000 | $25,849,000 | $26,622,000 | $27,077,000 |
| Watercraft / aircraft excises | $17,478,000 | $12,869,000 | $13,909,000 | $12,719,000 |
| Timber excise | $4,630,000 | $3,102,000 | $4,025,000 | $3,492,000 |
| Other state taxes | $856,944,000 | $878,862,000 | $898,269,000 | $895,458,000 |
| Real estate excise | $426,048,000 | $411,871,000 | $379,748,000 | $422,360,000 |
| Hazardous substance | $127,055,000 | $149,417,000 | $175,500,000 | $197,604,000 |
| Estate | $137,116,000 | $78,717,000 | $112,928,000 | $114,828,000 |
| Penalties and interest | $111,157,000 | $137,225,000 | $151,294,000 | $113,481,000 |
| Enhanced 911 (state) | $20,192,000 | $20,222,000 | $21,158,000 | $23,850,000 |
| Telephone lines | $9,542,000 | $9,104,000 | $10,818,000 | $8,024,000 |
| Intermediate care facilities | $9,931,000 | $9,531,000 | $8,842,000 | $7,858,000 |
| Oil spill | $4,966,000 | $3,731,000 | $3,828,000 | $3,571,000 |
| Carbonated beverage syrup | $8,365,000 | $8,553,000 | $16,041,000 | $2,855,000 |
| Fish | $1,963,000 | $2,418,000 | $3,193,000 | $810,000 |
| Petroleum products | $609,000 | $48,073,000 | $2,680,000 | $217,000 |
| Carbonated beverage (bottled) | $12,239,000 | $0 | ||
| All state taxes | $15,605,513,000 | $15,122,921,000 | $16,013,481,000 | $16,158,505,000 |
Sources: Washington State Department Of Revenue and Office of Financial Management
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