WA’s New Income Tax Faces Growing Opposition Ahead of November Vote

Washington’s income tax repeal fight is escalating ahead of the November election as former Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler urges voters to support Initiative 645 and the Washington State Supreme Court considers a major challenge involving the ballot language voters will see. Initiative 645, backed by Let’s Go Washington, asks Washington voters whether they want to repeal the state’s newly approved 9.9% tax on household income above $1 million. Herrera Beutler is warning Washington voters that the so-called “millionaires tax” could eventually expand beyond the state’s wealthiest residents and is urging voters to vote YES on Initiative 645 to repeal the income tax. The debate also comes as former Washington Gov. Gary Locke has sharply criticized Olympia’s spending practices. Locke argues Washington has a spending discipline problem and questioned how lawmakers can already face future budget deficits despite creating new sources of tax revenue. Supporters of Washington’s income tax disagree. Economic Opportunity Institute and Invest in Washington Now argue the tax will make Washington’s tax system more progressive by shifting more of the burden toward the state’s highest earners. Meanwhile, the Washington State Supreme Court fight over Initiative 645 continues. Government transparency advocate Arthur West is challenging the Public Investment Impact Disclosure, or PIID, that will appear alongside the income tax repeal initiative. West argues the disclosure is misleading because it tells voters repealing the tax would decrease funding for education and healthcare even though revenue from the new tax has not yet begun flowing. A five-justice Washington Supreme Court panel considered West’s challenge but continued the matter for additional consideration, potentially putting the income tax ballot dispute before the full court. Washington in Focus breaks down Initiative 645, Washington’s income tax repeal campaign, Jaime Herrera Beutler’s warning, Gary Locke’s criticism of state spending, the arguments for keeping the tax and the latest Washington Supreme Court battle over the November ballot. #WashingtonState #IncomeTax #WashingtonTaxes #Initiative645 #TaxRepeal #WashingtonPolitics #WASupremeCourt #JaimeHerreraBeutler #GaryLocke #Olympia #Taxpayer #WashingtonNews #LetsGoWashington #WashingtonInFocus