Follow-Up: Washington's Millionaires Tax Stands as Initiative 645 Backers Concede Defeat
Washington's high-earners income tax has withstood the effort to repeal it, as backers of Initiative 645 conceded defeat on November 5, acknowledging a gap of more than 350,000 votes that could not be overcome. About 58 percent of voters opposed repealing the tax, with nearly 67 percent opposed in King County. The result clears the way for the 9.9 percent tax on household wage income above $1 million to take effect on January 1, 2028, with the first collections due in 2029.
The levy, called the "millionaires tax" by backers, was created by Senate Bill 6346, passed by the Legislature in March and signed by Governor Bob Ferguson on March 30. It applies only to the portion of income above the $1 million threshold, so a household earning $1.5 million would owe the tax on $500,000, an expected bill of $49,500. Ferguson has repeatedly vowed to veto any legislation that would lower the threshold and has expressed confidence that courts would uphold the levy.
"Washingtonians understood one thing, we're not going to give tax breaks to millionaires when we can use those dollars to make life more affordable for working families all across the state," Ferguson told supporters on election night. Erik Houser, spokesman for the No on 645 campaign, called the result a definitive statement that voters support a fairer tax code and reject cuts to education, health care and child care. Brian Heywood, the Redmond hedge fund manager who leads Let's Go Washington, which put the initiative on the ballot, said the fight to protect Washington taxpayers was far from over.
A legal challenge could still stop the tax from taking effect. A lawsuit filed by business owners challenging its constitutionality is pending in Klickitat County Superior Court and is expected to eventually reach the state Supreme Court; the case was essentially on hold until after the election. (Source: Washington Secretary of State Election Results)
Source: Washington Secretary of State Election Results
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图片来源：Wikimedia Commons「Seattle from Space Needle June 2018 001.jpg」（King of Hearts 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0） Image: Wikimedia Commons "Seattle from Space Needle June 2018 001.jpg" (by King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0)
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