Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, responded to today’s release of the Senate Democrats’ 2019-21 operating budget proposal by calling on the Democratic majorities in the Senate and House to back up their calls for “tax fairness” by passing legislation that lowers regressive taxes on Washingtonians.

“One of the main arguments that Democrats make when they again demand a state income tax on capital gains is that it’s about fairness,” said Schoesler, who is a member of the budget-writing Senate Ways and Means Committee. “If the Democrats really care about tax fairness, they should take advantage of our historically large revenue surplus and actually cut regressive taxes that affect low- and middle-income people the most, such as the state sales tax and Sound Transit taxes.

“Many people living in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties are having a hard time making ends meet because of the high taxes just to pay for Sound Transit,” added Schoesler. “Lowering the state sales tax would help consumers from South Bend to Spokane.

“Instead of constantly talking about tax fairness in ways that stick it to taxpayers, maybe my Democratic colleagues should take advantage of our exceptional revenue surplus and for once realize it would be fair to give taxpayers a well-earned tax reduction.”