Make the call to urge a fair revenue solution

TAKE A STAND! — Please call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000 and leave this message for your representatives in Olympia: “I pay my fair share in taxes. It’s time to make sure the wealthiest in Washington pay their fair share, too. Support HB 2224, the House fair revenue package.”

BACKGROUND: Washington United for Fair Revenue is a statewide grassroots campaign supported by the Washington State Labor Council and more than 100 other community, labor and business organizations, that supports new revenues to cover our state’s growing needs, including K-12 public education, long-term care for seniors, and fair compensation for public employees. This coalition has organized the April 13-17 Tax Week Call-In in support of a revenue solution that is based on fairness, accountability, shared responsibility — and, above all, shared prosperity.

The problem: WA has the most unfair tax system in the country:

► In Washington, the wealthiest pay only 2.4% of their income in state taxes, while those with the lowest incomes pay up to 17% in state taxes, with a disproportionate impact on communities of color.

► Five of our biggest industries combined — aerospace, high-tech, agriculture, timber and mining – contributed only 4% of all the B&O taxes collected last year, while Washington’s smaller businesses were responsible for paying the rest.

► The State Senate makes things worse by increasing tax breaks for big corporations and making the middle class pay more taxes on essentials, like health insurance.

The fair solution: Pass HB 2224, the State House Fair Revenue package:

► Wealthiest pay their fair share through a 5% tax on large investment transactions (capital gains).

► Increases accountability by closing tax breaks for large profitable corporations.

For more information, watch this video by state Rep. Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle), Chairman of the House Finance Committee. He outlines Washington’s broken and regressive tax structure; explains how the state’s high reliance on a sales tax has placed an unfair tax burden on its poorest residents, average earners and the state’s small businesses (while letting major industries and international corporations off the hook); and demonstrates how in the past 20 years Washington dropped from 11th to 35th in terms of the combined level of state and local taxes per $1,000 of earnings.