‘Just go away’: Jake urges lawmakers to abandon WA’s millionaires’ tax as debate raises concerns about future expansion

A debate over Washington’s millionaires’ tax turned to whether lawmakers would eventually lower its $1 million income threshold. During the Bellevue Chamber’s Eastside Leadership Conference, I-645 sponsor Brian Heywood asked attendees to raise their hands if they believed the threshold would remain, and few hands were visible, according to KOMO News.

Reacting to the exchange during “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, co-host Jake Skorheim opposed the tax, while co-host Spike O’Neill questioned assurances about its future but supported considering a different tax system.

“You’re asking us to trust politicians of any stripe? Color me skeptical,” Spike said. “I think we’ve all got valid concerns.”

Heywood asks audience about the income threshold

The hosts listened to audio from the forum, where Heywood debated state Sen. Manka Dhingra and other participants about the tax and the initiative to repeal it.

“Who believes that this tax will stay at the million-dollar threshold?” Heywood said. “Raise your hand if you think that it’ll actually stay there.”

Spike cautioned that the setting mattered when considering the audience’s response.

“He knows his audience. It’s an Eastside Leadership Council. It’s a bunch of business folks from the Eastside,” he said. “Of course, they’re going to be leery, and rightfully so.”

Spike then returned to his concern about the threshold.

“The fact that they didn’t put a floor in this, they didn’t guarantee it couldn’t drop below a million,” he said. “A million ain’t what it used to be.”

Jake questions appeals to school funding

Jake discussed the use of education funding in arguments for taxes.

“I do feel like it’s always sold as the kids, the kids, the kids, and everybody loves and wants the kids to have the best,” he said.

Jake urged listeners to consider the authority they give lawmakers.

“I do hope that people just sit there and go, ‘Hey, you know what? Let’s just for a second think about what we’re handing over to these politicians,’” he said.

Jake then called for lawmakers to abandon the current income tax approach.

“I hope they are so embarrassed by this that they just take all the income tax talk and go away. Just go away,” he said. “Don’t make it for a billion. Don’t make it for 10 billion. Just go away.”

Jake and Spike discuss replacing other taxes

Spike distinguished his concerns about the millionaires’ tax from his willingness to consider broader changes.

“I’d like to see genuine tax reform in this state,” he said.

Spike discussed eliminating other taxes, including the business and occupation tax and Seattle’s JumpStart payroll tax, in exchange for a state income tax.

Jake also expressed conditional support for replacing Washington’s existing taxes with another state’s approach.

“If they’re willing to trade pound for pound the taxes that they have in Idaho and just bring them on over to Washington, I’m fine with that,” he said.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3