Re: “An excise tax on income is detrimental to Washington’s future” [Jan. 20, Opinion]:
According to the Institute On Taxation and Economic Policy (6th Edition, 2018), the state of Washington has the No. 1 ranking for having the most regressive tax system of all 50 states.
The primary reason for our accomplishment is that we do not have a state income tax and, even though lawmakers passed a capital gains tax in 2021, it is facing a legal challenge. We also do not allow our large cities to have a city income tax, which most major cities have instituted.
The capital gains tax could begin to solve our extreme wealth and income inequality problem.
James J. Farrell, Bellevue
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