Revenue Day of Action

Working people will gather at the State Capitol to call on legislators to fund state services by raising revenue from major corporations and the wealthy few

OLYMPIA, WA (March 7, 2025) — Union members, working families, and advocates are coming together for a day of action on March 17 to fight for progressive revenue. The action is organized by Balance Our Tax Code, a labor and community coalition fighting for a fair tax code.

The Revenue Day of Action starts with a noon rally, followed by afternoon meetings with legislators. Register to attend here.

Photo: Balance Our Tax Code

Among attendees will be members of AFT Washington, who are issuing this call to labor siblings to join them:

It’s time to call on legislators again to bring progressive revenue to the table. On March 17th, Balance Our Tax Code will hold a Revenue Day of Action in Olympia to do exactly that. AFT Washington will be joining in, and we encourage the labor community to take this opportunity to speak up for revenue.

Washington is a wealthy state with a strong, diverse economy and an upside-down tax code, where lower-income workers pay a bigger share of their income in taxes than higher-wage workers do. This is the result of relying heavily on property and sales tax to fund much of the state’s revenue needs, rather than taxing the wealth that Washington businesses and very wealthy residents accumulate. The time is now to change that equation.

Balance Our Tax Code supports a diverse approach to progressive revenue, and has championed multiple options in this legislative session, including a wealth tax, a higher real estate tax for homes that sell for $3 million or more, and closing the high earner’s payroll tax loophole. Several other revenue options have been discussed in this Legislature, including removing the cap on the Workforce Education Investment Act fund. All of these possibilities give us strong options for the progressive revenue solutions Washingtonians want.

The support for progressive revenue is real. Washingtonians supported implementing a capital gains tax in 2021, then defended it with an overwhelming majority when we rejected Initiative 2109 last fall – we’ve signaled our interest in more fair revenue solutions to legislators.

Now is the time to demand our legislators take action congruent with the public interest. Our budgets reflect our values, and it matters whose backs budgets are balanced on. AFT Washington will join our allies in Balance Our Tax Code in Olympia on March 17th to demand action on revenue. We’ll make sure that legislators have ample opportunity to learn that working Washingtonians aren’t giving up on progressive revenue.

We cannot continue to tax working Washingtonians more than wealthy Washingtonians.