State shouldn’t tax income; it should tax sex work

Published 1:30 am Thursday, November 18, 2021

Regarding the recent editorial (“What would you change about state’s tax system?,” The Herald, Nov. 11):

Ugh, once again the Legislature is trying to figure out how to shove an income tax down our throat. Oh, they say they are hosting “work groups” to find a more “equitable” tax system but it all comes down to creating an income tax in Washington because they have raised the tax rates on everything else they can and are still starved for money.

I will save my rant about their wastefulness for another day and propose instead that the state should just legalize sex work. Not only is it a tax revenue cash cow (much like marijuana) sex workers deserve the protection and benefits that other workers take for granted such as: Occupational Safety and Health Administration protection, health insurance and paid leave. Revenue can go to proper regulation of the industry to shut down sex trafficking, and the state will still have a ton of money left over to fully fund our behavior health, addiction treatment and housing needs.

Katherine Miller

Carnation