February 23, 2010
Taxing our way back to prosperity

The Washington Senate Democrats have proposed raising the state sales tax by 0.3%.

This is advertised as a "temporary" tax increase until 2013. Raise your hand if you believe that they won't later come back to "renew the existing sales tax".

House Democrats are supposed to roll out their tax package later today. Some House Democrats earlier introduced the "economic crisis revenue bill" to "temporarily" raise the sales tax by 1%, which would completely expire when "the unemployment rate decreases to five percent for four continuous months". But a glance at the state's unemployment rate going back to 1976 shows that such an event has hardly ever happened.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at February 23, 2010 11:56 AM | Email This
Comments
1. Dear liberals,

You are of the belief that I do not pay enough taxes. Please tell me what the correct percentage is.

Thanks.

Posted by: Gary on February 23, 2010 12:39 PM
2. Temporary sales tax increase? Seen a few of those enacted since I've lived here (58 years). Don't recall ever seeing one not becoming permanent. So, just another lie from our one-party (Bolshevik) government.

Posted by: Saltherring on February 23, 2010 12:48 PM
3. Tacomic on Gregoire's tax package by RR Anderson in Tacoma:

http://comics.feedtacoma.com/img/comics/posts/med/tacomic-broke-ass-washington-state-set-give-microsoft.jpg

Enjoy!

Posted by: Erik B. on February 23, 2010 01:08 PM
4. SSB 5046, placing symphony musicians under the jurisdiction of the public employment relations commission for purposes of collective bargaining.

We have symphony musicians on the state payroll?

Jeez, I hope I read that wrong.

Posted by: James on February 23, 2010 01:11 PM
5. 100 million dollar tax shelter for microsoft

http://microsofttaxdodge.com/2010/02/washington-state-about-to-give-microsoft-a-100-million-tax-cut-annually.html

You can afford to pay more taxes, but its hard for them.

Posted by: meanie on February 23, 2010 01:20 PM
6. Temporary is government speak for "set in stone, never to go away"

Posted by: VRWC on February 23, 2010 02:22 PM
7. The same legislature telling us these are temporary taxes just passed a bill to extend the 'temporary' stadium taxes even after our sports palaces are paid off. The money is to go to arts, subsidized housing, and 'human services.'

tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies.

Posted by: travis t on February 23, 2010 03:08 PM
8. #1, Gary, haven't you heard, enough is never enough!

Posted by: Petegoud on February 23, 2010 03:10 PM
9. Meanie,

I take it you didn't read your own link:

Royalty income is not apportioned in this state. Rather, royalties are allocated to the domicile of the taxpayer. Businesses that are domiciled outside of Washington, but authorize the use of their intangible property in Washington, do not pay any B&O taxes in Washington on royalties received from the use of their intangible property in this state. This has led some Washington-domiciled taxpayers to transfer their intangible assets to wholly-owned subsidiaries whose sole place of business is outside of Washington. Sometimes these subsidiaries are domiciled in states, such as Nevada, that do not tax income from the use of intangibles.

Wow, imagine that - a company relocated a portion of itself to a low tax/no tax jurisdiction in a completely legal way! Who would have thought that businesses would react to taxation...

No, the solution for the State is to grow State employment rolls, add State musicians, and then crank up the taxes ever-more on individuals and businesses.

Posted by: Shanghai Dan on February 23, 2010 03:27 PM
10. #8. Exactly. Which is why they will never produce a number. "More" is not a number, but is always their answer.


Posted by: Gary on February 23, 2010 03:35 PM
11. We, as people, are being so manipulated. We think we understand what's going on around us, but at every turn, there are people working to take as much from you as they can get away with.

My home property tax assessment dropped 21% when it arrive several months ago. I thought, well at least my property taxes will take a hit. Then my King County property tax statement arrived with a whopping 6% reduction. How did a 21% drop in home value result in just a 6% reduction in tax? Simple. Levy rates across the board increased an average of 18%.

If you don't feel that parasite slowly sucking the life out of you you're not paying attention.

And now with my home value way down, a new baseline is there for future increases to raise my property taxes well beyond what I paid last year before this pitiful reduction.

I'm furious with government, Democrats in particular. Who out there isn't? If you're not, you're not paying attention.

Posted by: Reality on February 23, 2010 04:07 PM
12. Soak the rich.

Posted by: Crusader on February 23, 2010 04:24 PM
13. Crusader @ 12

More like "soak everyone"

Posted by: David on February 23, 2010 04:29 PM
14. Crusader, why do you want other people... people you hate... to tuck you in at night?

Posted by: Gary on February 23, 2010 04:45 PM
15. Oh yeah, Crusader. Please tell me what the percentage should be for my taxes. "soak" is not a number.

Thanks.

Posted by: Gary on February 23, 2010 04:48 PM
16. This too shall fail. It always another "emergency" to raise taxes and hand out the winnings to unions. Democrats don't understand consequences.

Posted by: Jeff B. on February 23, 2010 05:06 PM
17. Ah Crusader, apparently you think everyone is rich, because the sales tax increase hits everyone.

Posted by: mike336 on February 23, 2010 07:40 PM
18. Not much lib opposition around here lately. Maybe even they are starting to get it.

I still want Crusader to tell me what the tax percentages are supposed to be. I'll start with an easy one. What is the perfect sales tax?

Posted by: Gary on February 24, 2010 07:42 AM
19. Sales tax should be means-tested. Poor people get a rebate at the end of the year to make it progressive.

Posted by: Crusader on February 24, 2010 12:09 PM
20. Crusader, what should the sales tax be?

Posted by: Gary on February 24, 2010 12:56 PM
21. Temporary? lol!! Don't fall for that one, people!

Posted by: Michele on February 24, 2010 08:11 PM
22. What is the perfect sales tax? Simple...there isn't one.

Sales tax should be abolished and replaced with a VAT, and an income tax.

Posted by: Proteus on February 26, 2010 10:47 PM
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