WA governor pressed to veto 1.8B piece of Democrats tax bill

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson is under pressure from hospitality and food industry leaders to veto a contentious surcharge in House Bill 2081, which they claim will inflate food prices. The bill, approved by Democrats, includes a temporary 0. 5% surcharge on high-grossing firms and aims to address a projected multibillion-dollar budget shortfall. Critics, including the Washington Hospitality Association, argue that food wholesalers will bear the brunt of this tax, compounding the effects of a broader tax increase.

The surcharge is projected to generate $1. 86 billion over four years, significantly impacting sectors like food and healthcare. Anton asserted that food is essential, warning that increased costs will be passed on to consumers. House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon noted that removing the surcharge would necessitate a special session to revise the budget. The bill aims to raise a total of $9.

4 billion to balance the state budget by July 1. Lawmakers have faced pushback for exempting large corporations in tech and other industries from the surcharge.