‘They’re not even being specific’: Jake questions whether WA income tax repeal wording misleads voters

Washington residents gave different answers in a recent survey about repealing the state’s millionaires tax depending on whether they saw ballot language describing a loss of funding for education and health care.

The survey found 57% opposed Initiative 645 when shown language including its projected budget effects, while 35% supported repeal. Without that wording, 44% opposed repeal and 40% supported it.

Jake Skorheim, co-host of  “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, questioned whether the wording misleads voters, while co-host Spike O’Neill said repealing the tax would eliminate money expected for those services.

“How can you say that repealing this has taken away something that they don’t have yet?” Jake said.

“If you eliminate that future revenue stream, you are in essence taking away the funding, the allotted funding, future allotted funding for these causes,” Spike replied.

Jake: ‘They haven’t even specified the amount’

A yes vote on Initiative 645 would repeal the income tax, while a no vote would keep it. The disputed wording describes decreased funding for public K-12 education, higher education, and human services, primarily health care.

Jake, a supporter of the repeal, questioned the connection between the tax revenue and school spending.

“They haven’t even specified the amount that would go to education,” Jake said. “It’s just generic; some of this general fund might make its way to education because money for education comes out of the general fund, right? So they’re not even being specific.”

“On that point, I’m in wholehearted agreement with you,” Spike said.

Jake also questioned how references to children affect voters’ decisions.

“If you can convince everybody that this is for the kids, for the kids, for the kids, people are more likely to say, like, ‘Well, I don’t want to take money away from kids. I’m not a monster,’” Jake said.

Spike defends counting future tax revenue

Spike compared repealing the tax to blocking water headed toward a field.

“Say there’s a stream coming toward your field, and it’s not there yet,” Spike said. “That water’s going to get to your field. But if we put a dam there, it’s not going to get there.”

Jake questioned the campaign’s argument that repealing the tax would take away expected revenue.

“We’re treating this like something we’re now entitled to,” Jake said. “We don’t have it yet, but we want it. We covet it.”

“We’re treating it like something that’s written in the law,” Spike said.

Spike also discussed his position on the tax itself.

“I look at this millionaires tax, and I think it’s a good idea,” Spike said. “The top earners should pay. We have a very regressive tax code in this state.”

However, on the poll’s differing results, Spike returned to how the measure is presented.

“It’s how they lay it out to people,” Spike 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