The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board has taken notice of the push to implement a state income tax in Washington. From the editorial: Shameless describes many corners of the political universe, but special notice this week to Washington state Democrats for pushing an income tax forbidden by their own state constitution. In Olympia, the state...
On Monday, the Washington State Senate advanced SB 6346, the latest attempt to impose a state income tax in Washington, and sent it to the House despite bipartisan opposition. The proposal is framed as a narrow tax on the “wealthy,” but as we’ve outlined before, this is a fundamental shift away from century-old constitutional and...
The full Legal Memorandum from former Washington AG Rob McKenna is available here. Olympia, Washington — Today, the Citizen Action Defense Fund (CADF) publicly released a memorandum of law authored by former Attorney General Rob McKenna that outlines why the proposed 9.9% income tax pending in the state legislature is unconstitutional. The memo was prompted...
Democratic leaders in Olympia have moved one step closer to creating a state income tax. SB 6346 was advanced out of committee earlier this week, and a full Senate vote is expected soon, maybe as early as today/Friday. Lawmakers are trying to rush this forward, and they need to hear loud and clear from Washingtonians...
The Legislature has an obligation spelled out plainly in the Washington Constitution: when voters put an initiative before lawmakers, it “shall take precedence over all other measures in the legislature except appropriation bills.” That isn’t some vague suggestion. It’s a constitutional mandate meant to protect citizen power when the Legislature doesn’t reflect the will of...
A long-expected bill (SB 6346) from Majority Leader Jamie Pederson (D-Seattle) that would implement a state income tax for Washington has now been introduced. This is despite voters rejecting a statewide income tax more than ten times at the ballot box. And despite lawmakers voting in 2024 to reaffirm Washington’s ban on an income tax....
Our state legislators began legislative session in Olympia on Monday, January 12th, and there has already been a flurry of discussion on the need for tax increases and even new taxes such as an income tax which will be proposed this session. This comes on the heels of the largest tax increase in state history...
Our state legislators in Clark County began legislative session Monday, January 12th, and there has already been a flurry of discussion on the need for tax increases and even new taxes such as an income tax which has been proposed and endorsed by Governor Ferguson. This comes on the heels of the largest tax increase...
Washington lawmakers aren’t finished reaching into your wallet — and Gov. Bob Ferguson is no longer pretending otherwise. Recent reporting from [un]Divided’s Brandi Kruse brought renewed attention to Democrats’s long-standing support for a state income tax, cutting through years of alternating between denials to warm embracefrom Olympia’s political leadership. While income taxes have repeatedly been...
A major fraud scandal involving taxpayer-funded daycare and healthcare organizations serving Minneapolis’s Somali community is now raising serious concerns in Washington state. Following an investigation by Ryan Thorpe and Christopher F. Rufo for City Journal and an exposé by citizen journalist Nick Shirley about widespread fraud in Minnesota, evidence is emerging that the same kind...
As the year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to thank you for being part of the Future 42 community. This has been a challenging year for many Washington families. Rising costs, concerns about public safety, and growing frustration with the direction of state policy have made it clear that thoughtful,...
Washington’s budget crisis didn’t come out of nowhere. After more than a decade of explosive spending growth — the kind that consistently outpaced population and inflation — lawmakers in Olympia are now stunned to discover that revenue is falling short of expectations. The surprise is hard to take seriously. When government grows this fast for...
The Spokesman-Review published an op-ed by Jackson Maynard and Todd Myers highlighting Washington’s failure to release legally required greenhouse-gas emissions data — and the lawsuit filed by Citizens Action Defense Fund (CADF) to compel transparency. From the column: For years, state officials have demanded transparency from businesses and individuals on climate policy, but refuse to...
Just months after passing the largest tax increase in state history — a $12.5 billion package — Democrat leaders in Olympia are already looking for new ways to take more. Now they’re floating two new tax proposals a 9.9% income tax and a statewide wealth tax targeting assets like stocks, investments, and property holdings. They...