OLYMPIA -- The Senate recessed Saturday afternoon without voting on their major tax package, after more than four hours of contentious, and occasionally heated debate..Democrats were one vote shy of the constitutional majority they need to pass the bill because one member Sen. Paull Shin,…
OLYMPIA -- A move to put the tax package on the ballot in November is proposed by Republicans.Sen. Janea Holmquist, R-Moses Lake,said the package should be called "the kitchen sink bill...As in sink Washington." A recent poll says people overwhelmingly think suspending Inititiative 960 was…
OLYMPIA -- Sen. Joe Zarelli suggests an incentive to make sure the temporary sales tax temporary.If it doesn't go away in 2013, legislators don't get their per diem.Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Medina, says in "the spirit of bipartisanship" he was supporting the amendment, even though he…
OLYMPIA -- This is the biggie, the three-tenths of 1 percent increase in the sales tax for the next three years.Sen. Janea Holmquist, R-Moses Lake, says Democrats are always saying the sales tax is the most regressive, and yet they want to raise its. She…
OLYMPIA--Republican offer an amendment to strip out an increase to the business and occupation tax on service businesses.The Senate Democrats' proposal raises the current rate of 1.5 percent on gross receipts to 1.75 percent on one of the largest categories of businesses.How big? Sen. Joe…
OLYMPIA -- Republicans try to strip out a provision that puts the state sales tax on bottled water.Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, says previous debates have been "pretty esoteric" about things "that really don't direct the lives of individuals. This one does.""Here is a $30 million…
OLYMPIA -- Republicans are offering an amendment to take away a tax on property management firms. Right now those companies have an exemption to the business and occupation tax on salaries.Sen.Chris Marr, D-Spokane, agrees, saying it will cause rents to go up as the tax…
OLYMPIA -- Republicans tried unsuccessfully to strip out changes on tax exemptions for solar projects.Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, said the Legislature is trying to encourage solar energy projects, and should keep the exemption.Sen. Phil Rockefeller, D-Bainbridge Island, says it's designed to spread money around among…
OLYMPIA -- Republicans ask to strip out theprovisions that make top corporate officers liable for unpaid taxes of a terminated or insolvent Limited Liability Corportion.Sen. Joe Zarelli, R-Ridgefield, says that will just result in businesses setting up their LLCs in another state.Sen. Tracey Eide, D-Seattle,…
OLYMPIA -- Sen. Don Benton offers an amendment to strip out a provision that gets rid of the exemption from the real estate excise tax for homes sold from foreclosure.On normal sales, the real estate excise tax, or REET, is paid by the seller. But…
OLYMPIA -- Sen. Val Stevens argues the tax falls unfairly on "direct sellers" like Avon ladies, and offers an amendment to strip provisions on the business and occupation tax changes out of that.Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Medina, says she should read her own amendment, because she…
OLYMPIA--Sen. Don Benton offers an amendment that argues rules giving the Department of revenue authority to go after companies avoiding taxes are too broad."It gives the department the ability to go on witchhunts throughout the business community, it's another job killing tactic," Benton says.Other Republicans…
OLYMPIA -- Opening salvo in the Senate debate over a package of tax increases to help ballot the state's operating budget.Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, argues the whole bill is unconstitutional because it contains too many subjects. It's logrolling, he contends.This bill contains 21 different taxes…
OLYMPIA -- The Lege is working Saturday, and likely Sunday, as the clock ticks down to a scheduled adjournment on Thursday.Senate Democrats just placed their tax package on the calendar for a vote sometime today, which suggests they have the 25 votes necessary to pass…
The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.
