(The Center Square) – With just 10 days remaining in session, majority party Democrats in the Washington State Legislature have yet to reveal their final budget proposals.
Meanwhile, Republicans remain largely powerless to stop an onslaught of tax hikes as part of Democrats’ revenue plan to deal with a projected operating budget shortfall of $16 billion over the next four years.
“We had, I think, seven tax bills dropped in yesterday and heard late in the day in Ways & Means with very little opportunity for the public to weigh in on bills that are going to affect them directly,” Minority Leader Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, said during a Tuesday news conference. “A sales tax increase, B&O tax increase, property tax increase. Not exactly the progressive policies that those on the other side of the aisle are always talking about. These are all very regressive taxes that are going to hurt every Washingtonian in the pocketbook. Their lack of willingness to give the public time to weigh in is truly shocking.”
Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, echoed that frustration with the “buffet” of tax proposals being rushed through with just days remaining in the 105-day session that is set to conclude on April 27.
“If you can name it, they’ve probably got a tax for it. They’ve got a tax for homes, for fuel, for jobs, security cameras – your ring camera, they’re going to tax that. Hospitals, nursing homes, Discover Passes … I mean, take your pick,” he told The Center Square Tuesday.
Last week, Democratic leaders told reporters they would reveal updated budget proposals by early this week, but as of late Thursday, that had not happened.
“The budget blackout continues. Complete silence about it. I have no idea what is happening,” Gildon continued. “In a typical year, if there are minor differences between the House and Senate, then you go work it out and figure it out. But the changes they’re making this year … this is a complete budget overhaul.”
Late Wednesday, a proposed wealth tax reappeared in the form of an executive session scheduled before the Senate Ways & Means Committee on Friday at 9 a.m. The tax would apply to a few thousand residents who hold stocks and other intangible financial assets of more than $50 million.
Democratic leaders said last week the wealth tax was dead for the year because Gov. Bob Ferguson said he would veto any budget that includes a wealth tax.
“It seems like legislative leaders are playing a game of chicken with the governor’s office and seeing who blinks first,” Gildon said, explaining that an unnamed Senate majority budget leader told him, “The governor is going to do what he’s going to do, and we’re going to do what we’re going to do.”
The Center Square contacted Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, and House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, D-West Seattle, about the apparent reemergence of the wealth tax but did not receive an explanation by the time of publication.
In fact, a slew of tax proposals are slated for executive session before the Senate Ways & Means Committee on Friday morning.
“We need a balanced approach, using a reasonable amount of progressive revenue and adopting solutions to reduce our spending,” Ferguson said in a Wednesday statement.
The governor went on to say, “Legislators are working hard and putting in long hours. They have moved away from their reliance on an untested wealth tax and made progress on addressing our regressive tax system.”
Gildon told The Center Square this session has been the most difficult of his legislative career.
“This is the worst by far,” he said, adding the public could still make a difference. “Potentially our best hope is having enough people rise up against this.”
