Will public employee pension costs cause your property taxes to increase?

The House Finance Committee held a work session yesterday focused on the fiscal health of Washington's cities and counties. Among the presentations lawmakers heard was a pitch from the Washington Association of Counties to provide local governments more flexibility on existing tax sources while providing new tax options. One recommendation in particular of note from the Counties . . . READ MORE

Updated legislative tax survey results

Earlier this month we published the results of our legislative tax survey that asked legislators and candidates the following question . . . READ MORE

100 lawmakers and candidates respond to tax survey

Curious to know if those that hope to represent you in the Legislature next year believe you have the right to settle the twenty year debate about whether tax increases should receive a supermajority vote or voter approval? Washington Policy Center recently asked legislators and legislative candidates in 2014 about their support for allowing the people to vote on a constitutional amendment that would require a supermajority vote in the legislature to raise taxes . . . READ MORE

Harris v. Quinn lives in Washington

It took a few months but we now know the U.S. Supreme Court's June 30 ruling in Harris v. Quinn will be implemented in Washington State. According to the tentative 2015-17 contract agreement between the state and SEIU 775 (Article 4) . . . READ MORE

State Supreme Court gives green light to retroactive tax increases

It looks like the State Supreme Court is giving the Legislature a new tool to address its McCleary contempt order: retroactive tax increases. A unanimous Court ruling today said it was not unconstitutional when the Legislature approved a retroactive change to the state's death tax in 2013 . . . READ MORE