Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons
Opponents of Washington’s newly enacted tax on high-income earners are racing against a July 2 deadline to gather enough signatures to place a repeal initiative on the state ballot — and they still need to nearly double their current count to get there.
Why It Matters
The effort could block Washington’s first-of-its-kind broad income tax structure before it ever takes effect, setting the stage for a significant public vote on whether the state’s tax code should be expanded. The outcome will likely influence tax policy debates across the Pacific Northwest, including in neighboring states watching Washington’s experiment closely.
What Happened
Initiative IP26-645 targets a 9.9% tax on individual and household wage income exceeding $1 million per year. The tax was passed earlier this year by the Democratic-controlled legislature and signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson. Every Republican in the legislature voted against the measure, joined by a smaller number of moderate Democrats who also opposed it.
Let’s Go Washington, the conservative initiative campaign sponsoring the repeal effort, hosted a signature-gathering event on June 3 at The Remnant church in Tumwater, drawing several hundred supporters. As of Wednesday morning, the group reported roughly 165,000 signatures collected — just over half the minimum required to qualify for the ballot.
To get on the ballot, the initiative needs 308,911 valid signatures from registered voters. State election officials recommend submitting closer to 390,000 to account for signatures that may be thrown out as invalid. That leaves organizers needing to collect tens of thousands more in under a month.
What the Initiative Would Do
Beyond simply repealing the income tax, IP26-645 would prohibit state and local governments from enacting any tax on individual income, regardless of its source. The measure broadly defines income to include any monetary gain derived from labor, capital, property, or other sources.
If the initiative passes, several provisions tied to the original legislation would still take effect. Those include an expanded tax credit for lower-income families, targeted business tax relief, and the elimination of sales taxes on diapers, personal hygiene items, and certain over-the-counter medications.
The income tax itself is set to begin in 2028, pending the outcome of anticipated court challenges. Collections would start in 2029, applying to an estimated 21,000 filers statewide.
By the Numbers
- 9.9% — tax rate applied to individual income above $1 million annually
- 21,000 — estimated number of taxpayers who would be subject to the tax
- 165,000 — signatures gathered as of Wednesday morning
- 308,911 — valid signatures required to qualify for the ballot
- July 2 — deadline to submit signatures to the state
Voices From the Effort
David Sellstrom, senior pastor at The Remnant church in Tumwater, was direct in his opposition, calling the tax unconstitutional. “This is 100 percent against the state constitution,” he said at the June 3 event.
Doug Hicks of Lacey expressed concern about the long-term implications of an income tax framework, saying he worries about what it could mean for future generations. “You know it’s the camel’s nose under the tent. It scares me for my kids. It scares me for my grandkids,” he said.
Zoom Out
Washington has long been one of the few states with no broad-based income tax, a feature that has drawn residents and businesses from higher-tax states. Critics of the new millionaire tax argue that once an income tax structure is established — even at a high income threshold — it creates a legal and political pathway for the rate or threshold to change in the future. That concern is at the heart of why Let’s Go Washington’s initiative goes further than a simple repeal, seeking instead to constitutionally bar any future income tax at any level.
Gov. Ferguson has made his position clear, publicly pledging to block any effort to reduce the tax’s scope. He has vowed to veto any legislation that would lower the income threshold or reduce the 9.9% rate for as long as he serves as governor.
The broader debate over government spending and taxation comes as policymakers in several states weigh new revenue sources. For context on related policy trends affecting Pacific Northwest residents, see recent reporting on food stamp enrollment shifts in Washington as program participation changes.
What’s Next
Let’s Go Washington has less than a month to nearly double its signature count before the July 2 submission deadline. If the initiative qualifies, Washington voters would have the final say — likely in November — on whether to repeal the tax before it ever reaches the collection phase in 2029. The measure would also face potential legal challenges regardless of ballot outcome, as opponents have already questioned its constitutionality.
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