No chance of state income tax soon

Published 2:42 pm Thursday, April 23, 2009

The Associated Press

OLYMPIA — The state’s top Senate Democrat says an income tax on high earners won’t move forward this year.

Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, joined by other Senate Democrats, held a news conference today to say it’s clear they “don’t have the legislative support to move forward at this point.”

But Brown says a conversation on the issue will continue. Brown has been talking about imposing an income tax on people making more than $250,000, even though the idea is considered politically risky.

Other Senate Democrats also introduced various measures that would impose a state income tax.

Washington is one of a handful of states without a state income tax.