Washington State has the most regressive tax system in the U.S. (Christian Science Monitor, March 2, 2015). Washington takes a “greater share of income from low and middle income families than from wealthy families.”

Our reliance on sales tax causes this inequity. The lower 99 percent income earners are people who buy goods for their families. The lowest 20 percent of income earners are paying 16.8 percent of their income on state taxes. The top 5 percent (those earning over $197,000 annually) are paying between 2.4-4.6 percent of their income in state taxes. Not only are the lower income earners paying a greater percent of their income in taxes, they are earning less. The bottom 99 percent of earners have lost income from 2009-2012, -3.5 percent, while the top 1 percent have increased income 45 percent (go.epi.org/unequalstates).

To create a more equitable tax system and steadier revenue for Washington, we need tax reform, which decreases the sales tax, ends B&O (business and occupation) taxes, increases capital gains taxes, and creates a state income tax.

Let’s work together to reform our tax system, improving our educational system without negatively impacting social services, transportation, and the environment. Our children deserve small classes and a rich curriculum and all of Washington would benefit.

– Janice McLemore, Silverdale