Washington GOP leaders decry proposed income tax, warn of economic fallout
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Summary
At a Leadership Media Availability in Olympia, House and Senate Republican leaders criticized a proposed income tax as an 'income tax' that risks capital flight, cited roughly 64,000 public sign-ins in opposition, and said legal challenges are likely.
At a Leadership Media Availability in Olympia, Senate Republican leader John Braun and House Republican deputy leader Chris Corey urged opponents of a proposed income tax to remain vigilant, calling the proposal "a big, big deal" and warning it could drive businesses and taxpayers out of Washington.
Braun said the Senate saw "overwhelming opposition" at a recent hearing and estimated roughly "64,000" people had signed in against the measure, a figure he described as a "first blush" count. He said Democrats rushed the proposal to a hearing and that the measure is being presented as a high-earners tax even though, he argued, it could be altered by future legislatures.
"This is a big, big deal," Braun said, adding that he expected outside organizations to bring constitutional challenges if the bill advances. He cited testimony at the hearing from former Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna, who argued the measure may be unconstitutional under the state's constitutional language.
Corey and other House Republicans pressed the economic argument, saying the tax would affect small and medium businesses and could prompt capital flight. "People are already trying to gather their W-2s," Corey said of constituents concerned about potential impacts; another Republican described examples of business owners and professionals who said they were considering relocating.
Republican leaders said they view the labeling of the measure as a "millionaires' tax" as misleading because the tax could be amended in future sessions to reach a broader tax base. They argued that voluntary charitable giving is not a substitute for a tax and criticized witnesses who said they personally supported the tax while acknowledging they might be affected.
Braun said the majority sought to portray hearings as balanced despite the numerical opposition he described. Republican leaders promised to continue opposing the measure on the floor and said they would pursue administrative and legal avenues if necessary. The lawmakers did not provide a specific floor date for the bill; they said timing remained uncertain.