On Election Day, state voters turned down a move to abolish the state estate tax. In doing so, they kept Washington’s only progressive tax.
At the same time, King County voters decided to support improved bus service by increasing the sales tax, and Seattle voters decided to pay for street improvements by increasing property taxes.
The sales tax puts the greatest burden on those with the least ability to pay. The property tax is a burden on retired people whose income hasn’t kept up with the value of their homes.
With no income tax, Washington depends on high sales taxes, high property taxes and a business-and-occupations tax that puts a heavy burden on new businesses. The B&O tax is a tax on gross receipts; so businesses pay even if they lose money.
Yet, we continue to vote on abolishing progressive taxes and on increasing regressive taxes.
Instead, let’s look at our entire tax structure, I favor a state constitutional amendment to allow a limited income tax, limit sales and property taxes, and repeal the B&O tax, replacing it with a net tax on all businesses.
Two state legislators – a Republican from Wenatchee and a Democrat from Seattle – have discussed a proposed constitutional amendment to create an income tax and limit or eliminate property taxes.
We need to persuade local legislators to get behind tax-reform.
But don’t expect Gov. Chris Gregoire to lead the charge. She knows that two previous governors have seen their tax proposals fail, and that her 2004 primary opponent, Ron Sims, got nowhere with an income-tax proposal.
A maverick wins in the 44th District
The election of Democrat Steve Hobbs over Republican state Sen. Dave Schmidt was not only a defeat for Republicans, who lost their only local seat in Olympia, but also for the local Democratic machine, which endorsed Hobbs’ opponent in the primary and tried to discourage Hobbs from running.
You’d still have my vote, Dan
It was a tease: “I’ve decided to run again … Please contribute to my campaign! …Sincerely, Daniel J. Evans.”
Evans, who retired as governor 30 years ago and as senator 18 years ago, was seeking contributions to a University of Washington scholarship fund in an upcoming half-marathon.
Evans, who relished his 12 years as governor, six as president of The Evergreen State College and 12 as a UW regent, was a reluctant U.S. Senator, who took the job on Henry Jackson’s death and won election in 1983 but found the Senate frustrating. He didn’t run in 1988. He certainly would have won then and in 1994 and 2000. He would now be retiring after 24 years unless he’d been willing to send out one more fund-raising note.
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