Statement from WAGOP Chairman Rep. Jim Walsh on Olympia Democrats’ State Income Tax Scheme

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Liz Economou

EMAIL: Liz@wagop.org

WEBSITE: www.wagop.org 

MOBILE: 917.445.4124 

Statement from WAGOP Chairman Rep. Jim Walsh

on Olympia Democrats’ State Income Tax Scheme

“As the author of I-2111 / No State Tax Based on Personal Income, I’m disappointed but not surprised that leftists in Olympia are trying to gut another People’s Initiative. The People of Washington have voiced repeatedly—including in their support of I-2111—that they do not want any type of state income tax. The current governor and his comrades in the state legislature are ignoring the people’s voice.

“This state income tax scheme, demanded by the current governor but filed by subservient state senators as SB 6346, is not just illegal. It’s unconstitutional. Article VII, Section 1, of the Washington State Constitution says any state income tax must be “uniform.” That means flat and applied evenly to all people. The current governor’s scheme applies only to certain Washington families. So, it fails the Article VII test.

“The current governor is counting on the State Supreme Court to fabricate specious rationalization to support his sleazy scheme. And to extend the scheme to all Washington households, not just those above a certain income threshold. That’s why there’s been a rush of retirements and resignations from that Court in the last few weeks. Good judges don’t want to be part of that sleaze. And they may see that there are strong legal theories for moving any such specious ruling to the federal court system for proper judicial review.

“Ferguson’s state income tax scheme is a poorly conceived and poorly drafted mess. It’s designed to extend to ALL Washington families, not just a few. It’s built on lies. Vote NO on SB 6346!”

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