Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Washington’s tax system is the most upside down and regressive in the nation. Asking the state’s lowest-income residents to pay six times more in taxes, as a share of their income, than the state’s highest income households – including some of the wealthiest individuals in the world – is unconscionable and unsustainable. As you know, I strongly support the creation of a progressive state income tax to help ease this burden on low-income residents.
Why are we not asking the wealthiest Washingtonians, and in some cases the wealthiest people in the world, to pay a more equitable share? Because we don’t have the tools to do it. Under our current tax code, working Washingtonians pay too much and wealthy Washingtonians pay too little. Additionally, We’ve heard for years the B&O is deeply problematic, particularly for our small, start-up and low-margin businesses, because it taxes gross revenue rather than net profit. A comprehensive rebalancing and modernization of our tax code is critical to ensuring an equitable and lasting economic recovery for people who live, work, and open small businesses here.
Over the past two years, the Bipartisan Tax Structure Work Group conducted robust economic analysis and held initial listening sessions to find out how the Legislature can create a more equitable, transparent, and stable tax code for working families and small businesses.
Now, the work group is inviting taxpayers to explore several scenarios to change the state’s tax structure and wants to hear from you. Join me for a 90 minute interactive online Tax Town Hall on Wednesday, October 27 at 2:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. with other Central and North Puget Sound residents.
I’ll be listening to you as you weigh in on the scenarios presented and am interested in knowing how you think the state can better provide vital state services like schools and public health through an improved tax code.
Click here to register for the 2:30 p.m. session.
Click here to register for the 6:30 p.m. session.
Lean more about the Tax Structure Work Group at taxworkgroup.org.
I hope to see you there!
