During a debate with Republican challenger Lisa Ross last week, state Democrat Rep. Jim Moeller, Vancouver, admitted Democrats are planning to raise taxes during the next legislative session. And, Moeller should know. As Speaker Pro Tempore, Moeller is the number three Democrat in the State House.
Referring to fully funding schools, Moeller responded with the typical Democrat solution to all budget problems: raise taxes. Moeller said, “My belief is we’re going to raise taxes on somebody.”
According to the Columbian, Ross disagreed and offered waste cutting solutions to fully funding K-12 education. Specifically, Ross pointed out government waste in the Department of Ecology, Natural Resources and the state’s health care authority.
Raising taxes has always been a part of the Washington Democrat’s agenda. As SHIFT reported in the past, Democrats listed a state income tax as a “guiding principle” in their party platform. The platform states, Democrats call for a “taxing unearned income at the same rate as earned income, a state income tax… a state capital gains tax… a corporate income tax, and a financial transaction tax on Wall Street trading.”
State House Democrats have already acted on their party’s state income tax goal. During the 2014 legislative session, state Rep. Marko Liias (D-Mukilteo) gained a total of 16 Democrat co-sponsors for his state income tax bill (HB 1545).
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