2020 WA Governor's race: on Tax Reform


Loren Culp: No tax increase: cut anything with the word "study" in it

On the state budget, which faces a shortfall in the billions of dollars, Culp has said that taxes should not go up. Pressed on what should be cut, he only said he would look at each program but would begin with cutting "anything that has the word `study' in it."
Source: Seattle Times on 2020 Washington Gubernatorial debate Oct 7, 2020

Phil Fortunato: Fund transportation needs with inflation-linked sales tax

Our state's transportation system is in trouble and it keeps getting worse. I am proposing that we use an inflation-linked funding source with the taxes you already send to Olympia. By using the existing sales tax on motor vehicles, we can fully fund our state's transportation needs. As cars become more fuel efficient, people take more transit, or more electric vehicles hit the roads, the gas tax won't be sufficient. It's a declining revenue source.
Source: 2020 Washington governor campaign website PhilForGov.org Jan 6, 2020

Phil Fortunato: Introduced bill to exempt older seniors from property tax

Seniors are being taxed out of their homes and they have worked hard for the homes they own. At some point in time seniors have paid enough taxes. That is why I introduced legislation (SB 5535) that would exempt older senior citizens from property tax. My goal here is to allow seniors to stay in their homes as long as possible. Seniors should not have to choose between paying property taxes or meeting their basic needs.
Source: 2020 Washington governor campaign website VoteFortunato.org Jun 28, 2017

Phil Fortunato: Restructure property tax as relief for homeowners

Fortunato [is] pushing to amend the state's constitution to restructure Washington's property tax aimed at relief for homeowners. Senate Joint Resolution 8219 would freeze property valuations as of Jan. 1, 2020, and not be recalculated until there is a change of ownership. "We should enshrine this principle of fiscal restraint in our state's constitution."
Source: Auburn Reporter on 2020 Washington gubernatorial race Mar 5, 2020

  • The above quotations are from 2020 Washington Gubernatorial race: debates and news coverage.
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  • Click here for more quotes by Washington on Tax Reform.
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Candidates and political leaders on Tax Reform:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 17, 2023