Inslee's big tax plan: Even Democratic lawmakers aren't all on board
OLYMPIA — While many say they support his ambitious agenda for the state, Washington’s Democratic lawmakers Friday gave mixed reviews of Gov. Jay Inslee’s multibillion-dollar tax package to fund his proposed 2019-2021 budget.
Inslee on Thursday unveiled an $54.4 billion plan that would boost education spending, combat climate change, help save critically endangered orcas and reshape Washington’s troubled mental-health system.
Many Democratic state lawmakers say they share those priorities, and the party this year holds its most comfortable majorities in recent memory. Democrats control the Senate 28-21 and the House by 57-41.
But Inslee’s proposal represents a roughly 20 percent increase over the existing state operating budget, which some lawmakers are finding hard to swallow. And to help pay for it, the governor wants a 9 percent tax on some capital-gains earnings, a hike in part of the business-and-occupation tax and a restructuring of the real estate excise tax.
Read more: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/inslees-big-tax-plan-democratic-lawmakers-arent-all-on-board/