Seattlest: Seattlest Poll: Should Washington Impose An Income Tax?

jdavin

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:40:14 -0800

Creating a state income tax on the rich is the first step towards expanding the state income tax to everyone. Don't fall for it! It's pretty easy to start a tax on the rich and later surreptitiously lower the income bar until eventually it applies to the middle class too (they'll justify the tax increase as needed because of budget shortfalls resulting from wasteful spending and poor budgeting - although they'll present this as hey, you want the schools to stay open right? Think of the children.).

TroyJMorris

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:34:05 -0800

We'll never, ever, ever, ever have a state income tax. But let's follow California and try to legalize pot sales.

elrayZ

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:43:13 -0800

I have been wondering when our elected government would get to this. It is going to come whether you vote against it or not, just like the third runway at seatac (pondering a fourth). Washington state will most likely follow the California model: state income tax and state sales tax. Why not reduce beauracracy?

BigGreenFrank

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:27:15 -0800

Please, in this discussion, let's not forget that the pertinent point is not % of income for tax payers but actual dollars (alternately % of tax revenues). Thought exercise: Start with what % of the state budget those in the Top 10% should pay. What % of the budget should the Top 25% pay? Use that result to figure what taxes on the rich should be. (For the US, the Top 10% pay 70% of the total tax bill, and the Top 25% pay 85%, with half the population paying all most ALL of the taxes. Whether that's fair or not is a different discussion...)

LarryB

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:42:47 -0800

The missing poll item: Remove the sales tax and replace it with a progressive income tax. (Just like Oregon)

MIDave

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:07:52 -0800

Unfortunately, there is no way this will pass. Republicans will invoke the slippery-slope argument and get even the poorest of the poor rallied against it, e.g. "Once we have an income tax, those tax-and-spend liberals will tax everybody." The bill will go down in flames. The only way to get an income tax is to move to Oregon.

TroyJMorris

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 09:11:00 -0800

Before someone starts freaking out, calling out "class warfare!" and other garbage, it's important to keep in mind that we tax the fuck out of the poorer members of our state. I read that the difference in taxes between poor and rich is something like 18% and 3%.