Crosscut: Washington taxes: We’re No. 1 (in abusing the poor)
media mention“The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy released a new study today showing that Washington State’s tax system weighs heaviest on the poor. The non-profit Washington State Budget & Policy Center broke down the ITEP’s report, saying, “Washington state has, by far, the U.S.’s most regressive state tax system, taxing the poorest residents at 16.8 percent while taxing the top 1 percent at only 2.4 percent.” The report goes on to explain this is in part because Washington state relies primarily on sales tax for revenue instead of a personal income tax, though that method is shared by other states.
The ITEP concludes that if these problems that exacerbate inequalities are not dealt with soon, states will find it difficult to raise needed revenue. Washington may have already gotten there. — C.O.”