About the Author
The Eye of the Tiger was topping the music charts, a new home cost $69,000, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High was in theaters. 1982 was also the last time the sales tax was cut in Washington state. It's time to provide relief to families across the state in a tangible way. Below is all the facts and research you need to stay informed.
Can Washington state afford a sales tax cut?
Yes! In fact, Washington’s tax revenue growth has outpaced the nation since 2015 and our tax revenue has grown 39.4 percent since 2008 - you can see more in our video about that here. To put it another way, the over the four years since our last state budget was put into effect, projections show an additional $7.764 billion in revenue. Many other states have been cutting taxes for their residents as well, even those with similar political compositions to ours. The bottom line is clear: Washington can afford to cut the sales tax just like many other states have!
Have there been any attempts to cut taxes?
Yes! Earlier this year, a bill was proposed that would have reduced the sales tax by 1% across the board. That would save taxpayers $2 billion dollars per year! There was another bipartisan bill that would have provided relief from taxes on people's homes, manufacturing, and workers. Unfortunately, the governor has not indicated any willingness to provide relief to taxpayers. This isn't a partisan issue, as nearly every state with both major political parties in power have provided tax reductions for their citizens. In spite of some good efforts in Washington, so far the governor has not relented.
Should I care about tax cuts?
Yes! Tax cuts are overwhelmingly popular in Washington state, and it's not a surprise - they can help a lot of people. In particular, cutting the sales tax would be a huge boon to middle-class to lower-class families who are struggling with high costs of every day goods due to inflation. Providing this kind of relief is critical to creating a better state to raise a family or build a business in. And when the state has the ability to do so, it's a slam dunk.
