Let’s Go Washington Moves to Gather Signatures for High-Earner Income Tax Repeal
Why It Matters
Washington state’s new income tax on high earners is heading toward a major political fight, with a well-funded conservative group preparing to take the question directly to voters. The outcome could shape the tax climate across the Pacific Northwest and influence whether residents and businesses stay in or leave Washington in the years ahead.
What Happened
The conservative political committee Let’s Go Washington announced it has received ballot title language from the state attorney general’s office and is preparing to begin collecting signatures to challenge Washington’s newly enacted income tax. The group, led by founder Brian Heywood, said it has not yet decided whether to pursue a direct ballot initiative this fall or an initiative to the Legislature — a route that would likely push a public vote to 2027.
The state Supreme Court earlier this week declined the group’s request to place the tax before voters via referendum, a path that would have required fewer signatures. That setback forced Let’s Go Washington to pivot toward the longer initiative route.
A group spokesperson initially indicated Friday the committee would pursue a 2026 ballot initiative, but later walked back that statement, citing a miscommunication. Heywood said the final decision hinges on how quickly ballot language is finalized — a process he estimated could take several weeks.
By the Numbers
- 308,911 — Valid signatures required to qualify a measure for the November 2026 ballot
- 390,000 — Signatures election officials recommend submitting to offset invalid ones
- July 2 — Deadline to submit signatures for a fall 2026 ballot appearance
- 9.9% — Tax rate imposed on household wage income above million annually, set to begin collections in 2029
- $50M–$80M — Amount Heywood projects income tax supporters will spend to defeat a repeal initiative; he estimates Let’s Go Washington will need more than 0 million to win
The Tax and Its Backers
The income tax legislation, approved largely along party lines in the Democratic-controlled Legislature, imposes a 9.9% levy on household wages exceeding million. Collections are set to begin in 2029 and could generate several billion dollars annually. Supporters included most legislative Democrats, though some moderates joined Republicans in opposing it.
Proponents argue the measure rebalances what they describe as a regressive state tax structure, and the legislation also includes credits and tax reductions aimed at lower-income residents and small businesses. House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, D-Seattle, said this week his side is prepared to defend the tax both in the courts and at the ballot box. “We feel confident that we can defend this tax reform in court and at the ballot,” he said.
Opponents filed a legal challenge last month arguing the tax violates state constitutional precedent established by a 1933 Supreme Court ruling.
Heywood’s Strategic Calculus
Heywood views a 2027 vote as a less desirable fallback. He has expressed concern that residents frustrated with Washington’s tax climate will relocate before ballots are cast — a dynamic that could erode the repeal coalition’s voter base. The committee is also eyeing this year’s state Supreme Court elections as a strategic opportunity, noting that five seats are on the ballot and those justices will ultimately rule on the tax’s constitutionality.
“Your income tax is on the ballot six times, not once,” Heywood said, referring to the Supreme Court races alongside the initiative itself.
Let’s Go Washington has been active on multiple fronts this legislative cycle, also sponsoring initiatives on parental rights in public schools and on restricting transgender girls from competing in female athletic categories. The group has successfully driven multiple ballot measures in recent years. This effort represents one of its most expensive campaigns to date — a pattern of high-stakes political battles increasingly common in the Pacific Northwest, where progressive majorities in state capitals have faced organized ballot-measure opposition from conservative groups.
What’s Next
The ballot title language is subject to a five-day challenge window. Once that period closes, Let’s Go Washington could formally launch its signature-gathering campaign. The group’s path forward — 2026 ballot or 2027 via the Legislature — will likely be clarified within the next few weeks. Washington lawmakers are simultaneously grappling with other long-term fiscal and resource challenges that add pressure to decisions about how the state funds public services going forward.
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