Gov. Jay Inslee is starting his fourth regular legislative session as governor, and it marks the fourth time that he’s tried to raise taxes during his term. That makes it four years in a row that he’s broken his promise from the 2012 campaign, when he assured voters, “I would veto anything that heads the wrong direction and the wrong direction is new taxes in the state of Washington.”
Inslee isn’t sitting back and waiting for tax hikes to land on his desk. He’s actively pushing for higher taxes with a proposal he outlined last month in his supplemental budget proposal.
The governor made that proposal official today when Rep. Christine Lytton (D-Anacortes) filed “request legislation” on behalf of the Office of Financial Management – Inslee’s in-house budget office. HB 2479 lays out the tax increases Inslee is pushing this year:
- Enacting a sales tax on bottled water. State government has done this before. Legislators passed a bottled water tax in 2010, but voters promptly repealed it through Initiative 1107 that fall. Inslee rejects their clearly-stated preference.
- Ending the automatic sales tax deduction for out-of-state residents. This would hurt businesses along the Oregon border because crossing into Washington to purchase products would be less attractive to Oregon residents, who don’t pay sales tax in their own state.
- Limit the Real Estate Excise Tax exemption for banks. This provision is related to foreclosed properties.
- Limiting the extracted fuel tax to biomass fuel from wood waste. This is Inslee’s attempt to tax the state’s oil refineries for fuel they use and burn off as part of the refining process. Like other fuel taxes, drivers will ultimately pay for this one at the pump. Rep. Drew Stokesbary (R-Auburn) tweeted last month, “Just so we’re clear, taxing extracted fuel is like taxing you for compost made from your food scraps & used in your garden.”
Ya know, Oregon won’t extend a Income Tax exemption for Washingtonians who work in Oregon, so screw the sales tax exemption for them. I don’t buy the argument that border business will be hurt. When I travel and buy stuff in Idaho, I don’t expect a refund just because I’m from Warshington.
I agree with you Stephen because I have heard of the abuses of this sales tax deduction. I have heard from friends in retail that they do not even know if the id is real or fake. They see the same people using it over and over. Well if they live in another state why are they here all the time in Seattle? Us Washington State taxpayers get hosed with this one because of the abuses. I can not believe I actually agree with something he wants. I am sure it is the one and only thing I will agree with him on!!! And I love the Warshington. My daddy used to pronounce it that way! lol
One & done! Let’s dump this ass-hat!!
Doing away with the tax break for Oregon residents WILL NOT hurt the business along the border. WA looses more revenue by people going to Oregon to purchase items and no tax paid. So anyone who claims they need those Oregon shoppers probably shouldn’t be in business, if they are that desperate for a few extra dollars.
Our political class needs more and more money with which to reward their supporters and friends.