The Question No One Asked

The Washington State Senate took a baby step in the right direction yesterday when it showed the courage to at least discuss an income tax. For those in attendance, or virtually attending, we heard the same old crap. Yes, our state’s sales tax is regressive; yes, our constitution probably requires an amendment for a graduated income tax; and yes, unless we overhaul the whole revenue scheme, an income tax, on anyone, is just “piling on.”

As we have suggested here before, why not do it right? Why not take this unprecedented budget mess and retool Washington State programs, spending and revenue schemes?  There is not space here to detail the impacts of our changing state economy on our unchanging revenue scheme. Our tax structure is based on industries that are dead, dying or moving.  We have failed to evaluate the new engines of our economy, and the whole mess is framed inside a border that no longer exists.  People, there is a reason the House and Senate are trying to write some fancy nexus language into their tax bills!

But, if an income tax is good policy for the state, and if it can be written as a flat rate to avoid the need to amendment the constitution, why send the issue to the ballot?  This question has to be asked. This hiding-behind-the-ballot has to stop. If one is entrusted by his or her constituents to make decisions about education, social programs, environmental programs, and whether a flourless candy bar ought to be taxed, then the legislators ought to step up and vote for the income tax during session.