Mark Harmsworth

For just over 136 years, Washington State has managed just fine without an income tax. In that time, we built one of the best state economies in the world, with companies other states are jealous of that provides great jobs and benefits. A permanent state income tax that will apply to all of us in no time is an existential threat to our economy and to taxpayers, because after “the rich” move to avoid the tax, all that will be left is you, Democrats recklessly spending your money for little results, and with no meaningful tax relief. Meanwhile, some states that do have an income tax are considering eliminating it so that they can usher in the capital that ours chases away. Other states that have income taxes also don’t have 7 other wallet busting taxes to pay. It’s amazing to me sometimes that these clear facts are even partisan. Implementing this income tax in WA is not only unconstitutional, it’s economically illiterate and politically brain dead. Why are the unions backing it with so much cash? Occam’s Razor my friends. Because it’s not to fund schools, healthcare, or anything other than to fund unions who turn around and spend millions on taking more from your wallet. I spend my days buried in our state budget, and this is clear as day to me. It’s clear as day to them too, except they aren’t honest about it, because honesty would lose. Democrats and their media friends knowingly spread lies to strangle common sense to death in WA. A yes vote on the initiative is a vote to protect our future from economic arsonists, socialism, fraud, corruption, and wasteful government spending.

Gary Locke has entered the budget chat. As a part of my no new taxes budget proposal last December, I introduced a host of budget reforms. Some of those reforms I took directly from Gary Locke when he was Governor. All of those sound reforms were rejected. It goes to show how far away from sound economic policy the current Democrat majority has strayed that they can’t even hear reforms that worked under one of their own previous Governors. Now you have two former Democrat Governors essentially word for word stating what Republicans have been saying for 4 years now of runaway spending and deficits. Republicans and reasonable Democrats should unite to defeat socialism in WA.

Gov. Ferguson and Dems raised taxes, raided pensions, swept accounts, drained reserves and will still come up short again. That is not a revenue problem. That is a spending addiction.