OLYMPIA… The agenda for today’s meeting of the Senate Ways and Means Committee has Senate Republican budget leaders suggesting only one party in Olympia is committed to making Washington more affordable.
If the seven tax or fee bills on deck for committee votes today all become law, the combined annual cost is estimated at nearly $950 million once all take full effect – not counting what the state would haul in from a proposed increase in the retail bag fee.
From Sen. Chris Gildon of Puyallup, Senate Republican budget leader:
“The majority party started this week by passing an income tax they claimed would make our system more affordable and less regressive — yet just days later, they’re advancing nearly a billion dollars in new taxes and fees that do the exact opposite. This is now officially the largest taxing week of the century in Washington state.”
“That juxtaposition tells you everything. For Senate Republicans, ‘affordability’ has always been a governing principle — not just a talking point. You can’t make life more affordable by making it more expensive.”
“Raising taxes is the easy way out of a shortfall and only enables the poor spending decisions that turned the budget upside‑down in the first place. It’s time for some fiscal accountability in Olympia, not another round of taking from hardworking Washingtonians.”
From Sen. Nikki Torres of Pasco, assistant budget leader:
“It’s disappointing to see Democrats return to the same tax-first strategy that led to more than $12 billion in new taxes just last year. We just received a positive revenue forecast, and I had hoped that would steer the conversation toward a no-new-taxes budget, like the one Senate Republicans proposed in 2025. Creating a responsible budget requires making tough choices and clear priorities. That’s not easy work, but it’s exactly what we were elected to do.
“These bills will almost certainly move out of committee and be rolled into the supplemental budget next week. And if that budget is approved, here’s what the end result will be: higher costs for families and job creators across Washington. You can’t say you’re fighting for affordability while consistently supporting policies that make it more expensive to live and do business here. At some point, the votes need to match the rhetoric.”
Senate Bill 6346, the income-tax bill passed Monday by Senate Democrats, is already scheduled for a House committee vote next Friday. It would take an estimated $3.5 billion annually.
The tax bills scheduled for votes by the Ways and Means Committee during today’s meeting, which begins at 4 p.m., are:
- Senate Bill 5949 – Would raise cost of health insurance premiums; the Office of Financial Management fiscal note estimates a $74 million cost over four years.
- Senate Bill 6129 – A regressive tax increase of $2 per pack on cigarettes (to $5 total) with an added tax on flavored nicotine, including menthol. Total estimated cost over four years: $117 million.
- Senate Bill 6228 – Raises health-care costs by increasing tax on warehousing and reselling of prescription drugs, which affects pharmacies. Total estimated cost over four years: $180 million.
- Senate Bill 6231 – Hurts state’s business competitiveness by increasing tax on replacement equipment for data centers. Total estimated cost over four years: $204 million.
- Senate Bill 6229 – Reduces incentive for tech startups by expanding capital-gains tax related to small-business stock when applicable. Total estimated cost over four years: $4 million.
- Senate Bill 6173 – Taxes employers for health care, even though most already offer health care to employees; exempts state and local government. Total estimated cost: around $200 million in first year, increasing to $800 million annually in 2029 fiscal year and thereafter.
- Senate Bill 5965 – Raises price of paper bags at retail establishments to 11 cents apiece, from 8 cents, with state receiving approximately one cent per bag through sales tax.