Democratic State Rep. Ruth Kagi says that the State Senate needs to at least consider the Democrats’ proposed capital-gains tax in the House budget.
The budget that the Democratic-controled House of Representatives passed Thursday increases revenue with a capital-gains tax, a tax that, Kagi said, would make the state’s tax structure more equitable than it is now.
“We will see if the senate will even consider it,” Kagi said March 30. “Given the inequity in our tax structure, I think it is incumbent on them to take it up. Low and middle-income families pay a far higher proportion of their incomes in taxes than our wealthiest families. It is long past time for us to rebalance the most regressive tax system in the nation.”
Kagi, chairwoman of the House Committee on early learning and social services, is particularly proud that the budget provides $227 million in high-quality early learning across the state.
“Half our kids enter into kindergarten behind,” Kagi said. “They don’t have the skills to be successful and most of those kids never catch up. Our obligation is to get those kids ready to succeed. This budget makes the biggest investment in early learning our state has ever made. It’s the best investment we can make.”
Kagi and other Democrats said in a press release that the House budget would put the state in full compliance with the State Supreme Court’s 2012 McCleary decision that requires the state to provide full state support for basic public education.
Kagi, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, represents the 32nd Legislative District, including Lynnwood, Woodway and nearby unincorporated areas of southwest Snohomish County, parts of Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace, the City of Shoreline and a small part of northwest Seattle.
Once the Republican-controled Senate passes its budget, leaders from the House and the Senate will negotiate the state budget over the next few weeks.
Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
