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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The Legislature has concluded its work for the 2026 session and officially adjourned Sine Die on March 12. “Sine Die” is simply the formal end of the legislative session.
But the effects of this year’s decisions will not end there.
One of the most consequential was the passage of Senate Bill 6346, which puts Washington on the path toward a state income tax. After more than 24 hours of debate, Democrats passed it anyway. I want to share why I voted NO and why I believe this bill should concern every taxpayer in our state.
Supporters keep calling this a “millionaires tax,” but that label is meant to reassure people, not protect them.
What matters is not the slogan. What matters is what the bill actually does.
Senate Bill 6346 creates the structure for an income tax in Washington state. It sets the precedent. It builds the framework. And once that framework is in place, the real question is no longer whether Washington will have an income tax. The question becomes how far future Legislatures will take it and who they will decide should pay next.
That is why I opposed it.
On the House floor, I made a simple point: this is not just a tax on millionaires. It is a tax that starts there, with nothing in the bill to stop a future Legislature from lowering the threshold and expanding it to more Washingtonians.
You can watch my full NO speech by clicking on the photo below or here.
That is not speculation. That is what the bill allows.
And if anyone doubts that risk, the debate itself made it clear.
Republicans offered an amendment to permanently codify the $1 million threshold in law. If Democrats truly intended for this tax to remain limited, that was the moment to prove it. Instead, they voted no.
That vote matters.
It tells us the majority party wants the ability to come back later and change the terms. So when supporters say this tax will only ever affect a small number of people, Washingtonians should remember that they had the chance to lock that promise into law and refused to do it.
That is why this bill should concern everyone, not just the people being targeted first.
It also fits a broader pattern that taxpayers have seen for years.
Since 2016, state revenues have roughly doubled. Yet even with that growth, government continues to spend beyond its means and comes back asking for more. The problem is not that taxpayers have not sent enough money to Olympia. The problem is that Olympia continues to spend more than it can sustain.
That is not a revenue problem. It is a spending problem.
And families across Washington are already feeling the pressure. Our state is one of the most expensive in the country. The tax burden is already high. People are paying more for everyday necessities, trying to keep up with higher housing and living costs, and watching government pile on new demands instead of offering real relief.
Against that backdrop, creating a new income tax is not a course correction. It is an escalation.
It sends the message that no matter how much government takes in, it will always come back for more. And once a new tax structure is in place, history tells us the pressure will not be to leave it alone. The pressure will be to expand it.
That is why this vote mattered so much.
It also raises serious constitutional concerns.
Washington’s constitution requires taxes on property to be applied uniformly, and Washington courts have long held that income is property. That legal conflict did not disappear because supporters gave the bill a more politically convenient label. The constitutional problem remains, and it should not be ignored simply because the majority party was determined to push this policy through.
There is also the issue of trust.
In 2024, the Legislature overwhelmingly, in a bipartisan manner, adopted Initiative 2111, the citizen-led measure prohibiting state and local taxes on personal income. Two years later, many of those same lawmakers turned around and passed one anyway.
That is not a technical inconsistency. It is a broken promise.
And if the majority party was serious about helping people already struggling with Washington’s high cost of living, they had every opportunity during the debate to prove it.
Republicans offered amendment after amendment, and supported amendments courageously brought forward by a member across the aisle, to provide real relief, add meaningful safeguards, and make the bill less harmful. Those proposals would not have completely fixed the bill, but they would have at least offered Washingtonians some protection. Instead, the majority party rejected them all.
Here are some of the amendments Republicans supported that would have made this bill slightly better for Washingtonians.
- Permanently codify the $1 million threshold so it cannot be lowered later.
- Reduce the state sales tax by 1.5% to provide broad-based relief.
- Exempt prepared food from sales tax.
- Create a three-day back-to-school sales tax holiday for families.
- Expand the sales tax exemption beyond diapers to include other essential child care products.
- Exempt pension and benefits to help protect retirees and seniors on a fixed income.
- Create deductions tied to the siting, construction, and operation of affordable housing.
- Dedicate 25% of the revenue to increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates and easing health care cost pressure.
- Create a dedicated Universal Free School Lunches account so promises to families were matched with actual funding.
- Add stronger transparency and accountability requirements so taxpayers could track capital flight, business departures, and other economic consequences over time.
Those were real chances to pair this bill with real relief.
The majority party said no.
That tells us a lot about what this bill is really about. It is not about reform. It is not about protecting taxpayers. It is not about making millionaires pay their fair share. And it is not about making life more affordable for Washington families.
It is about giving government another stream of revenue.
For me, this vote came down to a basic question: are we going to keep building a government that is never satisfied, or are we going to stand up for the people who are already carrying too much?
I believe Washingtonians deserve better than a Legislature that treats every budget problem as an excuse for another tax.
You deserve honesty about what this bill does. You deserve clear limits, not vague promises. And, you deserve lawmakers willing to say no when government once again asks for more without showing any willingness to control its own spending.
That is why I voted NO.
Today’s income tax targets millionaires. Tomorrow it targets you.
Looking Ahead
Although the Legislature has concluded its work for the year, my updates will not stop here.
A lot happened during this session, and I want to make sure you have the information you need to understand what passed, what was rejected, and what those decisions may mean for you, your family, and our communities.
In the weeks ahead, I will continue sending regular updates on major legislation, budget decisions, and other important issues from this year’s session.
Even after Sine Die, staying informed matters, and I remain committed to keeping you updated and representing your voice.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.
Sincerely,
Joshua Penner
