Poll Finds 67% Of Washington Voters OPPOSE New Income Tax + Businesses Say Olympia Punishes Success

Washington’s new income tax is becoming one of the state’s most contentious political issues as Gov. Bob Ferguson campaigns against Initiative 645, the voter-backed effort to repeal the tax. During an event at Food Lifeline in Seattle, Ferguson argued that repealing the tax would reduce funding for education, child care, food assistance and tax relief for small businesses. The governor framed the November vote as a choice between continuing Washington’s current policy direction and rolling back recently approved programs. Initiative 645 was submitted with more than 511,000 petition signatures and was later certified for the November ballot. The measure will give Washington voters an opportunity to decide whether to repeal the new 9.9% tax on individual or combined household income above $1 million. Ferguson also criticized Let’s Go Washington founder Brian Heywood over three tax and policy repeal measures rejected by voters. However, Let’s Go Washington has also supported several initiatives that were approved by voters or enacted into law, including measures involving parental rights, police pursuits, restrictions on state and local income taxes, and access to natural gas. Let’s Go Washington responded to Ferguson’s campaign by arguing that the income tax is unconstitutional, supported by powerful public-sector unions and likely to expand to additional income levels in the future. Entrepreneurs and agricultural leaders are also raising concerns about the tax. Seattle technology entrepreneur Jesse Proudman said the tax could penalize startup founders who accept lower earnings for years before eventually selling a successful company. He also warned that pass-through income received by LLC and S corporation owners could expose small and family-owned businesses to the tax. A fifth-generation Yakima-area farmer similarly warned that Washington’s taxes and regulations are accelerating the loss of family farms. He said local farms are increasingly unable to compete with institutional investors that can absorb higher costs and withstand years of limited profitability. A poll conducted by Cygnal for the Concerned Taxpayers Accountability Center found strong opposition to the income tax among 800 likely Washington general-election voters surveyed between May 13 and May 15. According to the poll, 67% opposed the tax and 21% supported it. A majority also said they believed the income tax would eventually expand beyond those currently earning more than $1 million. The survey additionally found that 54% believed Washington was moving in the wrong direction. Gov. Ferguson received an unfavorable rating from 49% of respondents and a favorable rating from 39%. Because the survey was commissioned by an organization opposed to the income tax, its sponsorship should be considered when evaluating the findings. However, the results provide an early indication of the arguments and voter concerns likely to shape the Initiative 645 campaign. Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke has meanwhile criticized Olympia’s broader budget strategy. Locke said state leaders lack budget discipline, use temporary revenue to fund permanent programs and borrow from dedicated accounts without a sustainable repayment plan. Locke questioned why Washington is already projected to face another budget deficit despite new taxes and record revenue. He also warned that voters could lose trust if funds approved for specific purposes are later redirected. Bellevue Chamber President and CEO Joe Fain raised similar concerns. Fain said lawmakers use unrealistic assumptions to build state budgets and increasingly rely on a narrow group of approximately 9,000 wealthy and highly mobile taxpayers. Fain described that strategy as an unsustainable gamble and warned that Washington cannot build stable public programs on the assumption that those taxpayers will always remain and continue earning income in the state. The debate over Initiative 645 will now determine whether Washington keeps its new income tax or returns to the state’s previous tax structure. #WashingtonPolitics #BobFerguson #IncomeTax #Initiative645 #TaxRepeal #WashingtonTaxes #GaryLocke #SmallBusiness #FamilyFarms #TaxpayerAccountability #TheCenterSquare #WashingtonInFocus