The highest death tax in the nation is not the only grim honor for which Washington State ranks #1. As the Washington Policy Center’s Jason Mercier points out, the list of tax “honors” that our state claims is rather long.
Other than the death tax, Washington State is No.1 for:
- State/local cell phone taxes – #1 at 18.69%)
- State liquor tax per gallon – #1 at $33.54
And, here’s our state’s ranking on a few other taxes:
- State general sales tax collection per capita – #3 at $1,666 (U.S. average is $851)
- State cigarette tax per 20 pack – #7 at $3.025
- State tax collections per capita – #20 at $2,789 (U.S. average is $2,677)
- State/local tax collections per capita – #22 at $4,416 (U.S. average is $4,600)
- State/local property tax collections per capita – #23 at $1,350 (U.S. average is $1,439)
- State beer tax per gallon – #24 at $0.26
- State wine tax per gallon -# 25 at $0.87
- State/local tax burden per capita as % of income – #26 at $4,541 (U.S. average is $4,420)
The only time Washington State really, truly “wins” at a tax is when it comes to the state individual income tax collections per capita. That is because our state does not have an individual income tax.
Of course, that’s something Democrats would like nothing more than to change. Democrats have long advocated—and actively pursued—a state income tax. Unfortunately, they are not likely to stop. After all, a state income tax is their party’s “guiding principle.
