Hot on the heels of Governor Gregoire’s campaign promise of “she” wouldn’t raise taxes, Sen. Rosa Franklin, (D-Tacoma) has introduced Senate Joint Resolution 8205, Amending the Constitution to allow an income tax.
It is a companion Bill to SB 5104, deceptively described as “Providing fiscal reform.”
Text of both bills SB 5104 and SJR 8205
Although we were assured throughout the 2008 campaign that Governor Gregoire is against an Income Tax, looking at her words from the past shows that she is merely opposed to it “at this time,” when she was making the comment.
I have no doubt she will sign both of these bills if they pass and make it to her desk. It is also possible they would bypass her and go directly to us voters, where we undoubtedly will be deluged with massive ads of children doing without and starving, poor people struggling and forced into homelessness and Police and Firemen losing their jobs if we don’t pony up and pay more taxes.
Part XI of SB 5104 tells us, “State Sales Tax will be reduced to three and five-tenths percent of the selling price,” but not done away with or blocked from future increases by either the state or local municipalities.
The bill also says in Part XII that Property Tax will be “eliminated” by 2011, but my gut tells me that would end up simply being decreased, maybe, with future increases also available.
I have yet to meet a Democrat who actually eliminates a tax they have grown used to.
We are facing tolls to cross the Columbia with no extra lanes being added to any new bridge or a third bridge. Surely some fees will be increased as well.
Washingtonians have consistently opposed an Income Tax in recent years. However, our State has many new residents that believe they need to pay more taxes, or that their neighbor should. They fall for cries of how so many are doing without and deserve more of our money.
Back in 1933, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled the citizen approved Income tax unconstitutional.
As our lawmakers begin another session, the proposed budget deficit that has grown massively under Democrats since 2004 is foremost on their minds.
Senator Pridemore of Vancouver displays somewhat how our sympathies will be played with as he says, “The biggest challenge is going to be putting together a budget that doesn’t negatively impact citizens of this state,” citing that Democrats needed to find ways to fill the state’s budget hole without cutting vital services to low-income residents and recession being the wrong time to cut services to those who need the most.
It is unknown at this time if Pridemore will support the proposed income tax.
Rep. Ed Orcutt (R. Kalama) said back in November, “I was asked if we can balance the state budget without raising taxes. My answer is we have to. When the slowing of consumer spending is driving our revenue problem, the last thing we want to do is take more money out of the pockets of hard-working Washingtonians. Taxpayers did not get the state into its budget problem, nor should they be expected to bail it out.”
Most all agree that citizens are not spending money, causing the decrease in revenues. Alternative measures are being discussed on how to pry our hard-earned money out of our wallets, such as SB 6900, “Establishing vehicle engine displacement and emissions fees.”
It must not come to their realization that it is the poorer people they claim they must help who would be the most likely to drive an older vehicle which would have a larger engine in it, costing the poor more than better off wage earners who have purchased newer vehicles with smaller more efficient engines.
Vancouver’s Senator Craig Pridemore signed onto SB 6900, Clark County.
One way or the other, we taxpayers are the target.
BOHICA
Tags: Chris Gregoire, Clark County, Craig Pridemore, Ed Orcutt, Engine Displacement Tax, Income Tax, Washington Democratic Party, Washington State
