Supporters of Initiative 2111 in Washington are pushing for the official elimination of personal income taxes in the state, building on a nearly century-long tradition of not paying such taxes. Backed by business owner Brian Heywood and Republican Rep. Jim Walsh, the initiative aims to enshrine this practice in law, preventing the imposition or collection of income taxes at any level of government within the state. The GOP-backed citizen initiative faces opposition from Democrats who currently hold the majority in state legislature.
While Heywood maintains strong voter support for the initiative, not everyone is in favor of eliminating income taxes in Washington. Critics argue that restricting tax options could lead to challenges in addressing tax code imbalances, recovering from recessions, and maintaining sufficient revenue in a changing economy. Dylan Grundman O’Neill from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy points out that Washington’s tax code disproportionately impacts middle- and low-income families, and Initiative 2111 does not address this critical issue, instead limiting tax options for residents. It remains to be seen whether the initiative will pass in the legislature and move forward to a vote by the people.