Income tax initiative to include same-sex partners

OLYMPIA — Supporters of an initiative campaign to tax the earnings of couples making more than $400,000 annually want to make sure the state’s domestic partners are taxed at the same rate as married couples. An updated draft of Initiative 1077 was filed with the secretary of state on Friday. The initiative was announced Wednesday by Bill Gates Sr. and others. It would tax couples with adjusted gross incomes greater than $400,000 annually, or incomes of more than $200,000 for individuals. Supporters say that represents the top 3 percent of earners in Washington. Gay advocates worried that domestic partners where only person makes more than $200,000 would be subject to the tax. The new language needs to be reviewed by the state code reviser.