Democrats don’t want to take “no” for an answer, particularly when it comes to a state income tax. The Washington State Democrat Party lists a state income tax as a “guiding principle” in its party platform. And, various Democrat lawmakers have introduced bills to implement a state income tax this legislative session. Of course, Jay Inslee and House Democrats’ state capital gains income tax is just another way of achieving their “guiding principle”—all this despite the fact that Washington voters have repeatedly rejected a state income tax when presented with it on the ballot.
The latest Democrat to push a state income tax is State Treasurer Jim McIntire. Yesterday, McIntire released his plan to overhaul the state’s tax system. McIntire’s plan would implement a 5 percent personal-income tax while eliminating the state property tax and reducing business taxes—what he calls a “grand bargain.”
The proposed state income tax would fund an education-funding plan recently released by state Superintendent Randy Dorn. The Seattle Times,
“The tax overhaul would help fund the proposal Dorn released last week. That plan would go further than lawmakers’ current plans to lower class sizes, but not quite as far as Initiative 1351, the measure voters passed in November to lower K-12 class sizes.
“Lawmakers and Gov. Jay Inslee have proposed to lower only K-3 class sizes; Dorn’s plan would do that, plus lower class sizes in grades 4-12, but to a lesser extent than called for in I-1351.
“Dorn’s plan would also set teacher salaries in statewide bargaining — shifting some of those costs from local school levies to the state — rather than district by district.”
McIntire’s plan requires an amendment to the state Constitution that he would like to place on the 2016 ballot. He plans to travel around the state to discuss his plan. Given that voters rejected Democrats’ last attempt to implement a state income tax in 2010 by a 30% margin, we can’t imagine Washingtonians would be very receptive to his message.
This state has resisted a state income task since its inception. 5% will be 20% in just a few years, the state portion of the sales tax does not consider or include what local and county portions of sales tax will be doing and does not limit them, and the state portion of the property tax is only 20% of what is collected the rest goes to county/local uses eg local schools and fire districts, and it will be raised again by the county. There is always a reasonable argument for raising taxes, if one doesn’t mind others using your money for their pet projects. No tax has ever been created that steadily went down till it no longer existed, they only go up. Don’t be suckers Washington State.
No State Income Tax! Another tax & spend liberal democrat at it again, when will the citizens of WA wake up to this crazy $hit!
Dig into why federal income taxes came about in the first place. Prior to 1913, 60-70% of federal revenue came from excise taxes on liquor. Prohibitionists pushed for a federal income tax to fund the government when their pipe dream of an alcohol-free country came to be. Federal income taxes started small, and only on the wealthy. We all know how that worked out. And when prohibition ended there were no more liquor taxes, right? Nah, the feds, having a steadily increasing income tax, transferred them to the states and the gouging is still going on today.
This is another manifestation of the greedy and power hungry democrat party. Any serious consideration of a state income tax be in an amendment to the Washington State Constitution that would 1) eliminate the sales tax entirely at any level, and 2) be a flat rate tax for any and all income above three or four times the poverty rate. No graduated, progressively oppressive rates; no exemptions, just an easy to fill out and file form each year listing income from all sources and times the percentage established as the tax rate; for example: the tax rate is set by constitutional amendment at 12.5% on an income of $85,300… $85,300 x .125 = $ tax.
Hmmm…. Wasn’t the state lottery supposed to fund education? I seem to remember that old line when I voted against the lottery “plan”. Whenever they want more money, they say it’s needed for education….
Even without an income tax, the tax burden is high here compared to other no-income tax states like Nevada which also has low property taxes. The real question for millions, though, is would the income tax also confiscate Social Security, pensions, IRA withdrawals, etc. If so, then it’s time to move. I am surprised being a Democratic state that taxes haven’t already been raised higher.