You won't believe what they want to tax this time.
Rep. Travis Couture, ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee, details the harmful tax proposals Democrats are considering to fund their record-high operating budgets.
In response to the massive tax increases and continued overspending, Couture introduced a package of budget reforms to restore fiscal responsibility, stop corruption, and boost accountability for all spending of taxpayer dollars.
1. HB 2049: Triples the growth cap on property taxes from 1% to 3%. 2. HB 2043: Increases the gas tax by 9 cents per gallon. 3. HB 2045: Imposes a new business and occupation (B&O) tax on businesses and financial institutions. 4. HB 2046: Taxes unrealized capital gains. No other state does this.
House Democrats just released their budget proposal and let me tell you it's a disaster
for Washington's working families. They claim their massive tax hikes will only hit the wealthy
but that couldn't be further from the truth. Their plan makes everything more expensive,
housing, gas, groceries, you name it. This budget includes the largest tax increases in state
history. If it passes, it will force people out of their homes, crush small businesses,
and hammer working families who are already struggling. First, Democrats want to nearly
triple property taxes. Right now, state law caps property tax increases at one percent per year.
What's their plan? Bump that up as high as three percent tied to inflation and population growth.
That means skyrocketing taxes, pricing families out of their homes and making Washington even
less affordable. Next, they want to raise the business and occupation tax by 50 percent.
This job-killing tax will drive businesses out of the state and make Washington less competitive.
We're already ranked as one of the worst states for business. This will only make it worse.
Then there's the wealth tax, a tax on money people haven't even earned yet. Democrats want to tax
unrealized gains, forcing people to pay taxes on investments before they've even made a profit.
Not only is this unconstitutional, but it will crush investment, kill jobs, and send businesses
fleeing from our state. And here's the worst part. These tax hikes aren't even necessary.
Democrats are raising taxes just because they can. And despite all these new taxes,
this will be the fourth straight budget where the state spends more money than it brings in.
The spending is out of control. That's why today I'm introducing a budget reform package to stop
this reckless spending and protect Washington taxpayers. My plan puts in real taxpayer
protections, requiring a supermajority vote for any tax increase. It increases accountability
with performance audits for every state program. No more blank checks for wasteful spending.
It cracks down on corruption by banning lawmakers and their spouses from profiting off of state
funded programs. And it forces the government to justify every dollar it spends instead of
making up numbers based on fantasy revenue growth. Washington families work hard for their money.
It's time we demand the same responsibility from our government.
Now I need your help. Contact your state legislators and tell them
no to higher taxes, no to reckless spending, and yes to real budget reform.
