Home | About Kevin | News & Media | Email Updates | The Ledger | Contact
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We have heard repeated calls from the majority party this session to make Washington more affordable, yet many of the policies being proposed do exactly the opposite. Instead of reducing costs, the majority is advancing a broad tax-and-spending agenda that risks increasing the financial burden on families, workers, and employers across our state.
The centerpiece of the majority’s agenda is Senate Bill 6346, which they advertise as a “millionaires’ tax.” However, this tax would affect everyone and open the door for a statewide income tax at some point in the future.
Under the proposal, the state would impose a 9.9% tax on individual income above $1 million beginning in 2028, including married couples earning $1 million combined, not separately. That structure means many small business owners and job creators who file through the personal tax code could be swept into the tax. The bill would also explicitly exempt this new income tax from Washington’s existing statutory prohibition on state and local income taxes, effectively creating a legal pathway for a permanent income tax system.
Washington already ranks among the most expensive states for housing, energy, child care, and daily necessities. Layering a new income tax on top of other proposed measures, such as new employer payroll taxes, beverage taxes, and higher health insurance taxes, would likely worsen affordability and make it harder for families and businesses to stay and grow in Washington.
What Can You Do About It?
SB 6346 has passed the Senate, with three Democrats joining all 19 Republicans in voting against the policy. The bill is scheduled for a public hearing before the House Finance Committee on Tuesday, February 24, at 8:00 a.m. I strongly encourage you to share your opinion along with the tens of thousands of people who have already done so, as shown in the chart below.
There are several ways for you to participate. You can testify in person in Olympia, remotely via Zoom, or by signing in on the legislative website to register your position as “pro” or “con” without testifying. Use the links below to participate:
Register to testify in-person or remotely
Submit your position for the legislative record
This is your opportunity to share your input. SB 6346 is bad for Washington and unfair to lower- and middle-income earners. It does nothing to correct the state’s regressive tax system. It simply takes more money from high earners without giving any significant tax breaks to those who need them the most. Additionally, most of the money would be added to the operating budget with no clear direction regarding how it would be spent.
That is not good for anyone. I will continue to oppose this policy and others like it, as I work to make Washington more affordable for everyone.
Kevin Waters
