While other states have a balanced tax system designed to protect pubic revenue, Washington, depending to a great extent on sales tax has an unstable, volatile system subject to large shifts in the economy.
All our legislators are reluctant to jeopardize their political careers. If you ask, “Why not a work for a balanced tax system?” The reply is always, “That will require a state income tax. The only way you will get that is with a citizen initiative.”
The most recent citizen initiative, I-1098 was seen by voters as unfair or shooting from the hip and we didn’t buy it.
We are facing a budget shortfall again this year that, if it is allowed to continue, may prove to be an existential crisis for the departments and agencies that provide social order, services and enforcement. We face even larger deficit problems in the next biennium. The shortfall in that nearly $33 billion budget is estimated at about $4.6 billion.
I have spent a great deal of time visiting cities across the State within the past six months including Spokane, Tri Cities, Tacoma and South King County. The many people I talked to unanimously agreed that if the sales tax was reduced considerably, to less than four percent, an income tax that does not raise taxes in the aggregate, would be a good idea
While taxpayers in our district openly discuss viable solutions to our revenue shortfall, the state legislature is stuck in an indeterminate state of affairs. It is for this reason that I have decided to run for State Representative from the Eleventh Legislative District where I will work for legislation to resolve the problem. http://www.electjimflynn.com
Posted in Comments section of Seattle Times in response to KCDCC Chair Steve Zemke ‘s request. Read the entire article:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2017104751_edit28reforms.html?cmpid=2727
