Commentary

Over the past few years, the Democratic-led Legislature has passed more than a few bills that raised taxes or created new ones, and many of us have felt the pinch in our pocketbooks, or we will soon. So, you might be interested in some upcoming meetings on the issue of taxes. The Tax Structure Work Group is holding seven town halls around the state remotely by Zoom, beginning next week and ending November 3. This work group is holding two town halls for the state’s east region, which includes the 9th Legislative District, next Wednesday, September 22, with an afternoon session from 2:30 to 4 p.m. and an evening session from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Interested in attending and sharing your thoughts? You can find the details, including how to sign up for either session, by going here: https://taxworkgroup.org/tax-town-halls

Never heard of the Tax Structure Working Group? Here is some information from its website: “The Washington State Legislature established the TSWG to identify options to make the Washington State tax code more equitable, adequate, stable, and transparent. As of 2019, the TSWG is comprised of bipartisan Washington State legislators, as well as representatives from the Governor’s Office, Washington State Department of Revenue, Washington State Association of Counties, and Association of Washington Cities. The TSWG facilitates public discussions throughout the state about the advantages and disadvantages of the state’s current and potential tax structure to inform recommendations to improve Washington State’s tax structure to benefit individuals, families, and businesses in Washington State.”