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, Washingtons Democratic lawmakers Friday gave mixed reviews of Gov. Jay Inslees 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 Washingtons 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 Inslees 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/