For anyone unfamiliar with local WA / Seattle politics - WA is one of the largest states without a state income tax (only Florida and Texas are larger, in terms of state GDP, among states without...
For anyone unfamiliar with local WA / Seattle politics - WA is one of the largest states without a state income tax (only Florida and Texas are larger, in terms of state GDP, among states without an income tax). It's certainly the most liberal state without one.
This "head tax" is the latest example of an attempt by Seattle to raise revenue on its own, separate from the state government. Along the same lines there's the city income tax passed last year, currently winding its way through court challenges. The supporters of the city income tax are hoping to strike down a 1933 state Supreme Court precedent that ruled any progressive income tax as unconstitutional.
For anyone unfamiliar with local WA / Seattle politics - WA is one of the largest states without a state income tax (only Florida and Texas are larger, in terms of state GDP, among states without an income tax). It's certainly the most liberal state without one.
This leads to a heavy reliance on sales taxes, property taxes, sin taxes, etc. WA consistently ranks as the #1 most regressive tax structure in the US.
This "head tax" is the latest example of an attempt by Seattle to raise revenue on its own, separate from the state government. Along the same lines there's the city income tax passed last year, currently winding its way through court challenges. The supporters of the city income tax are hoping to strike down a 1933 state Supreme Court precedent that ruled any progressive income tax as unconstitutional.