‘Let them have their own money’: KIRO hosts push back on proposed millionaire tax

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson is backing a 9.9% income tax on millionaires, recently stating that he is committed to returning a significant portion of the tax gains to the pockets of hardworking Washingtonians.

Jake Skorheim and Spike O’Neill, co-hosts of “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, pushed back on the proposed millionaire’s income tax. Spike questioned its legality, and Jake urged lawmakers to cut spending instead.

“It’s unconstitutional. In Washington law, by our state’s constitution, taxes have to be applied evenly to all citizenry,” Spike said. “Not just with people who are doing better than anybody else. And I’m a firm believer that the super-rich have never paid less than they have at this moment in time.”

We are facing an affordability crisis.

I’m committed to sending a significant portion of gains from a Millionaires’ Tax back into the pockets of hardworking Washingtonians, to help make life more affordable. pic.twitter.com/v63qGV6tZS

— Governor Bob Ferguson (@GovBobFerguson) December 30, 2025

“My question to Washington is, why don’t you just stop spending so much? Then you won’t need to pick people’s pockets,” Jake said. “The problem I have with this is it’s making it sound like millionaires are not hardworking. He says, ‘a portion of gains back into the pockets of hardworking Washingtonians.’ Where I come from, if you had the gumption to go out there and make a million bucks, you’re generally pretty hardworking.

“The last line he said, ‘to help make life more affordable.’ Why doesn’t he start by just not taxing people as much as he’s already doing, like look at the gas tax, 55 cents a gallon,” Jake continued. “Why doesn’t he just stop taking people’s money? Let them have their own money, I’m sure they’d be much happier.”

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 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.