Sen. Lisa Brown, responding to a report that Senate Democrats "are backing off the idea of a state income tax" on the wealthy, says the idea is still in play.

"I've always been realistic about the fact that it's a short time frame for putting a big new idea out there," Brown said. "But I've been really pleased with the fact that people are taking it seriously and having good conversations about it. I've gotten calls and e-mails, both positive and negative, from all over the state."

"...I still think it's possible. I'm not going to say it's likely, because...the governor's made a pretty strong statement. It's never easy when you're talking about something like this."

The idea hasn't lost any steam in the past few days, she said.

She also talked about a competing proposal -- also mentioned in the above link -- to temporarily raise the state sales tax and steer the money into things like nursing homes, hospitals, mental health. That plan could only pass the Senate, she predicted, if it included a state tax credit for low-income families to offset the higher cost of the sales tax.

Separately, the top Republican in the House today essentially dismissed the income tax proposal as a bluff. Speaking with reporters this morning, House Minority Leader Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, talking with reporters said Democrats are putting the proposal out there to:

"Scare the crap out of people...It's all smoke an mirrors. It's gamesmanship. This whole thing is gamesmanship. You cut the most vulnerable. You cut the most attrocious things you can do. You send them to the voters. You show them pictures of people in basic states of panic. You tell them they have to give you more money. And then you take that money and you give it to the Arts Commission."

"Or to ice skating," added Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla. (Audio attached above.)

 

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