State Senate passes bill to rein in tax breaks

The Washington state Senate passed a bill to rein in future tax breaks
granted by the Legislature on Saturday.

The bill was approved by a 45-3 margin, and the measure would put five-year
sunsets on all new and extended tax breaks unless otherwise specified.

It would also require the Legislature to explain what the tax break is intended
to achieve. There are over 600 tax breaks in Washington’s books, most of
which have no expiration date.

A separate, more ambitious effort in the House to phase out 251 existing tax
breaks amounting to nearly $2 billion and subject them to a review remains in
committee and faces an uphill battle to get a floor vote.

The Senate bill goes to the House next.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.