LATEST MYNORTHWEST LOCAL AND PACIFIC NORTHWEST NEWS

State of the State: Gov. Inslee said he looked for fair tax proposals

Jan 13, 2015, 1:54 PM | Updated: 2:32 pm

Gov. Jay Inslee gives a quick wave as he walks through the Capitol rotunda on Monday in Olympia. (A...

Gov. Jay Inslee gives a quick wave as he walks through the Capitol rotunda on Monday in Olympia. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Governor Jay Inslee will join KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson Show at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Gov. Jay Inslee touted his proposals to eliminate a handful of tax exemptions and to raise some taxes for the upcoming two-year budget.

In his “State of the State” address Tuesday, Inslee said he looked for revenue proposals that would address what he calls the “nation’s most unfair tax system.”

“Our lowest paid workers pay nearly 17 percent of their income in taxes while the top 1 percent pay less than 3 percent.”

Inslee presented his budget plan last month that proposed a 7 percent capital gains tax on earnings from the sale of stocks, bonds and other assets above $25,000 for individuals and $50,000 for joint filers. He also has proposed a cap-and-trade levy on carbon polluters, a 50-cent per pack cigarette tax and a tax e-cigarettes and vapor products.

The governor also has proposed eliminating several tax exemptions, including tax breaks on royalties, another for oil refineries and one on sales tax on bottled water.

Inslee said it’s time to meet a 2008 mandate to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming. It sets an overall limit on heat-trapping gases similar to a program that California launched nearly three years ago.

Last month, Inslee proposed an ambitious cap-and-trade program to require the state’s largest industrial polluters to pay for every ton of carbon they release.

Inslee has made tackling climate change a key issue since taking office two years ago. He has said his plan would raise nearly $1 billion in its first year to help pay for transportation projects, education-funding requirements imposed by the state Supreme Court.

Also in his address, Inslee said lawmakers must take action on a transportation revenue package.

He said if no action is taken, dozens of bridges “will become structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.”

Lawmakers have struggled the past few years to reach agreement, with negotiations between House Democrats and Senate Republicans stalling. This year, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have said a gas tax is needed, but Republicans are also pushing for reforms within the transportation system.

Inslee said he welcomes suggestions for improvement but that “the state cannot accept a continued failure to move on transportation.”

“Let’s get this done. Let’s get this done.”

Without action, he said, commute times will continue to rise and the state’s ability to move goods will be affected.

As for education, Inslee said that his proposals translate to thousands more low-income children attending high-quality preschools.

“Early learning is the best investment we can make in our future in the state of Washington.”

Citing his proposals made last month, Inslee noted that he’s seeking to fully fund class-size reductions from kindergarten through third grade, and also pay for all-day kindergarten across the state.

The state Supreme Court has held the Legislature in contempt for its lack of progress fixing the way it pays for public schools in Washington, and has given lawmakers until the end of session to comply with its orders or else face sanctions.

“Let’s get to work,” Inslee said at the end of his speech. “Go Hawks.”

Latest MyNorthwest Local and Pacific Northwest News

Photo: Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant addresses supporters during her inauguration....

Julia Dallas

Former Seattle council member alleges Indian consulate staff assaulted her

Former Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant is claiming she was assaulted by staff at the Indian consulate in Seattle on Friday.

5 hours ago

Photo: Ice is visible in the Bering Sea Jan. 22, 2020, as seen from a small plane airplane near the...

Associated Press

Plane located that matches the one that went missing in Alaska with 10 aboard; 3 bodies found

The wreckage of a plane was located on sea ice that matches the description of the one that went missing in Alaska.

6 hours ago

Some electric vehicles programs are being suspended by the Trump administration. (Getty Images)...

Luke Duecy

Some WA electric vehicles programs suspended by Trump administration

The Washington State Department of Transportation stands to lose $102 million in federal grant money earmarked to install chargers for electric vehicles (EV) on highways across the state after a directive issued by the Trump Administration and the Federal Highway Administration Thursday for state transportation directors to suspend their parts of the $5 billion federal […]

7 hours ago

Photo: The scene after an RV fire in Everett....

Frank Lenzi

Everett Fire leaves man dead, woman in critical condition

An RV fire in Everett left a man dead and a woman in critical condition Friday morning.

8 hours ago

Photo: Lucerne eggs are seen for sale at a Safeway, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, in Seattle....

KIRO 7 News Staff

Thieves steal nearly 540 eggs from popular West Seattle cafe

 Seattle Police are looking to crack the case of who stole several hundred eggs from the Luna Park Cafe on Feb. 5.

8 hours ago

Valentine's Day roses...

Bill Kaczaraba

Consumer Beware: Many choices for Valentine’s flowers

It’s not only the Super Bowl for football this weekend; it’s the Super Bowl for florists as Valentine’s Day approaches. Consumer Man Herb Weisbaum, appearing on Seattle’s Morning News, had things to watch out for as those flower orders are being sent. There are many ways to purchase flowers “I think everybody knows that there […]

9 hours ago

State of the State: Gov. Inslee said he looked for fair tax proposals