Washblog || In Washington, we tax poor people

In Washington, we tax poor people

By emmettoconnell
Thu May 24, 2007 at 07:10:22 AM PST
Section: Washington State Topic: Economic Justice

Now, lets see Tim Eyman run an initiative on this one. Not likely, since poor folks can hardly write him checks in the tens of thousands of dollars to right a supposed wrong.

According to the Washington State Budget and Policy Center (hat tip to Eye on Olympia), the most significant burden of our tax code falls on folks on the lower end of the tax bracket. You can find the policy center's brief here (beware, pdf file). Poor people pay to run our state:

"This strong imbalance in the system likely feeds the widespread public perception that taxes in Washington State are high and growing larger," the report notes. "...Because of the deep regressivity of the current system, it is undeniable that many individual families, particularly at lower and middle-income levels, are paying more in state and local taxes than they can easily afford."

Despite being 36th in the nation in state and local taxation, a good amount of those taxes are spread across the bottom of the tax bracket, to the folks that can least afford to pay them. This perception can actually feed the desire for folks to cut taxes:

This strong imbalance in the system likely feeds the widespread public perception that taxes in Washington State are high and growing larger. When the situation of state taxpayers is examined in the aggregate, that perception is not borne out by the facts. However, because of the deep regressivity of the current system, it is undeniable that many individual families, particularly at lower and middle income levels, are paying more in state and local taxes than they can easily afford. Taxation levels in Washington State may be low overall compared to other states, but the inequitable distribution of the tax costs across the population is a serious unaddressed problem that shifts too much of the cost of important government services onto those least able to afford to pay.

Its not that taxes are too high in Washington, they focus on the people that are most likely not going to be able to afford them.

< All Carter said is what most Americans are thinking: | A comment about....betrayal >

In Washington, we tax poor people | 4 comments (4 topical)

I can't say I'm too suprised

Sales tax is inherently regressive, that's why I dismiss the 24%, or I should say, 31% national sales tax people as kooks, they essentially want to transfer wealth from the poor to the rich.

But in Washington we need to pass a middle and lower income tax cut, we need to pass a progressive income tax and corresponding sales tax reduction. I won't propose a specific system, others are able to articulate it better, but I'm more than willing to go on record that Washington needs to balance it's tax structure.

by Nathan Horter on Fri May 25, 2007 at 09:35:47 AM PST

* 1 none 0 *

Standard Bully procedure

Pick on the defenseless. Or at least those with less influence.
Far to many people don't believe their vote counts and far to many people just listen to the 15 second sound bite.

I'm sure that Mrs. Roger's last minute ad painting Goldmark as a "taxman" cost him 5 to 10 points. And there was no factual foundation to the accusation.

Dave Gibney Pullman

by gibney on Fri May 25, 2007 at 09:53:58 PM PST

* 2 none 0 *

To do something about this--

--contact the 11th LD's Rep. Bob Hasegawa. Tax reform is his major passion.

http://www1.leg.wa.gov/house/hasegawa

He has outlined a tax plan that will result in lower taxes for 4 out of 5 Washingtonians. I'm backing it, although with comparatively high income and low consumption I'm that 5th person. Since it includes exemption on the first $75-$100K of property values, the extra hit I'd take is minimized.

by eridani on Sat May 26, 2007 at 05:30:36 PM PST

* 3 none 0 *

Belated

Sorry, I meant to comment on this topic.

Rep. Jim McIntyre and some tax policy expert gave a presentation to the 46 LD last year. Washington State's tax structure is very regressive.

It's immoral. It's also inefficient.

States with the most stable finances balance sales, income, and property taxes. (I think McIntire is a professor of economics, so he might know something about these things.)

Speaker Frank Chopp removed McIntire from his chair position on the finance committee (correct?) because McIntire made it clear that he intended to continue to push for tax reform.

I don't know anything about Chopp and I haven't met him. So I can't guess why he'd carry water for the conservatives. Regardless, his kneecapping of this important progressive issue pisses me off.

I attended the 36 LD meeting last week. Great stuff. Both Sen Kohl-Welles and Rep Mary Lou Dickerson gave a presentation (re-cap) of the recent legislative session. A great deal was accomplished.

Among the work that remains, both voiced strong support for progressive tax reform. It was music to my ears.

I don't know much of the history and whatnot, but I believe the 36 LD is well served by Kohl-Welles and Dickerson. I really, really like those two.

The advice to us progressives was to continue to apply pressure. If important stuff like tax reform and public financing of campaigns is going to get done, it'll be because we're organized and applying pressure.

by zappini on Mon May 28, 2007 at 01:19:41 PM PST

* 4 none 0 *

In Washington, we tax poor people | 4 comments (4 topical)

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