Working class families oppose I-2109

Washington state has one of the most regressive tax systems in the country, where middle- and low-income families pay up to 17% of their income in state and local taxes. This means that the less you earn, the more you pay as a percentage of your total income. Repealing the capital gains tax, as proposed by Initiative 2109, would only benefit the wealthiest residents. In fact, only 4,000 people in the entire state – just 100 in Spokane County – pay this tax.

Don’t be misled by the rich and powerful into supporting a tax cut that benefits them at the expense of the rest of us. If I-2109 passes, it would slash over $2.2 billion from vital services such as education and child care over the next five years. If these programs are to remain funded, the tax burden will again fall on small businesses and working families.

Let’s not allow the wealthiest few to shift their responsibility onto those who are already paying their fair share.

Miguel Valencia (Spokane)

Read the letter in the Spokesman-Review.