taxes Archives | Northwest Public Broadcasting

What Washington Can’t Tax, Oregon Might

By NWPB News July 6, 2019

Dan’s Tractor Inc. owner Skip Ogden stands at the counter of his southwestern Washington store. CREDIT: Kate Davidson/OPB

On July 1, Washington stopped letting Oregon shoppers skip paying sales tax at the register, with a few exceptions. Some businesses in southwestern Washington fear the change will drive away Oregon customers who won’t want to cross the river to shop when there is no sales tax at home. Read More

Jay Inslee To Sign Washington Vape Tax That Critics Say Amounts To Big Tobacco Giveaway

By Austin Jenkins May 21, 2019

In this file video, the owner of a Spokane electronic cigarette store examines his display case. CREDIT: JESSICA ROBINSON / N3 Read On After years of debate, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is scheduled to sign into law on Tuesday a new tax on vaping products to fund cancer research and tobacco cessation and prevention efforts. But critics… Read More

Washington Lawmakers Revive Tax Break For Electric Vehicle Buyers

By Tom Banse April 30, 2019

Washington legislators revived a lapsed tax incentives for electric car purchases, effective August 1, 2019. CREDIT: TOM BANSE / NW NEWS NETWORK

In their last minute dash to adjournment Sunday, Washington state legislators revived a lapsed sales tax break for buyers of electric cars. The resurrected incentive will be similar in value to a publicly-funded rebate for battery-powered cars that Oregon now offers.A valuable tax break for buyers of fully-electric and plug-in hybrid cars in Washington expired last Read More

Washington Lawmakers Pass $52.8 Billion Budget, Raise Taxes, Approve Affirmative Action, Adjourn

By Austin Jenkins April 29, 2019

Pedestrians walk in the rain near the Legislative Building, Tuesday, March 28, 2017, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash., as cherry trees display their spring blossoms. CREDIT: TED S. WARREN/AP

Washington lawmakers adjourned at midnight Sunday after majority Democrats approved an initiative to restore affirmative action and passed a $52.4 billion, two-year state operating budget. The budget relies on an array of tax increases, including on businesses and real estate transactions, but doesn't impose a new capital gains tax as had been proposed. Read More

Washington House Democrats Propose $1.4 Billion Tax Package To Fund State Budget

By Austin Jenkins March 25, 2019

Washington House Democrats unveiled their proposed two-year budget at a news conference on Monday. CREDIT: AUSTIN JENKINS

Washington House Democrats on Monday unveiled a proposed $1.4 billion tax package, including a new capital gains tax, to fund a two-year budget with ongoing commitments to public schools, boosted spending for people with mental illness and increased reimbursement rates for a wide-range of social service providers. Read More

Washington Anti-Tax Activist Tim Eyman Tries To Return The Office Chair He Is Accused Of Stealing

By Austin Jenkins February 22, 2019

In this file photo, Tim Eyman sits in a legislative committee hearing. AUSTIN JENKINS / NORTHWEST NEWS NETWORK

First, he was caught on store surveillance allegedly stealing a $70 office chair. Now Washington anti-tax activist Tim Eyman has produced his own video. It shows him returning to the scene of the alleged crime. Continue Read More

If This Bill Passes, Low-Income Washington Families Could Get A Sales Tax Refund

By Paige Browning January 25, 2019

Democratic Representative Debra Entenman of Kent speaks in the House of Representatives to honor Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on January 21, 2019. CREDIT: WASHINGTON STATE HOUSE DEMOCRATS »

A new bill in the state legislature would ease the tax burden on working families by giving a chunk of sales tax money back to them. Continue Reading If This Bill Passes, Low-Income Washington Families Could Get A Sales Read More

Despite 70,000 Furloughed IRS Workers, White House Vows Tax Refunds Will Be Issued

By NPR News January 7, 2019

The White House says tax refund checks will go out despite the partial government shutdown. CREDIT: Matt Rourke/AP

The White House says, tax refund checks will be sent out, even though the IRS, part of the Treasury Department, is for the most part shuttered. Continue Reading Despite 70,000 Furloughed IRS Workers, White House Vows Tax Refunds Read More

Those End-Of-The-Year Charitable Donations May Not Help Your Tax Bill

By NPR News December 29, 2018

Changes in the tax code mean that charitable donations may no longer be deducted, which could come as a surprise to many taxpayers. CREDIT: Andrew Harnik/AP

New changes to tax law will make deducting charitable giving from next year's taxes more difficult for taxpayers. This has come as an unwelcome surprise to many who counted on end-of-the-year donations to lower their overall taxes and to charities that counted on those donations. Read More

Jay Inslee Proposes Big Boost In State Spending, New Taxes In Two-Year Washington Budget

By Austin Jenkins December 13, 2018

Gov. Jay Inslee announced his proposed budget for the 2019-21 biennium at a Capitol news conference Dec. 13, 2018. CREDIT: AUSTIN JENKINS/N3

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is proposing a hefty $10 billion increase in state spending over the next two years to maintain current services and fund new priorities, including mental health and orca recovery. To pay for it, Inslee is once again pushing for a new state capital gains tax on high income earners as well as an increase in the business and occupation tax on Read More

Washington’s Electric Car Sales Tax Break Drives Away May 31

By Tom Banse May 16, 2018

File photo of an electric vehicle charging up outside of the Oregon Capitol. CREDIT: CHRIS LEHMAN

Washington drivers who are thinking about buying an electric car would be wise to get down to a dealership in the next two weeks. That's because a valuable tax break disappears at month's end. Continue Reading Washington’s Electric Car Sales Read More

Oregon Governor’s Promised Tax Break Would Reach Sliver Of Targeted Businesses

By Dirk VanderHart April 19, 2018

If Gov. Kate Brown follows through on a plan to call Oregon’s Legislature into a special session in the coming months, she might wind up giving a tax break to a sliver of the businesses she’s pledged to target. Continue Reading Read More

Oregon Governor Will Sign Controversial Tax Bill, Call Special Session

By NWPB News April 6, 2018

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown will call a special session of the Legislature to find a new tax break for some small businesses. CREDIT: DON RYAN

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is ditching part of the federal tax plan after all. After weeks of speculation on her intentions, Brown announced Friday that she’ll sign Senate Bill 1528, ensuring that Oregon won’t follow the lead of the federal government in granting a tax break to a subset of businesses. Read More

Washington Homeowners Will Likely Get Some Property Tax Relief Next Year

By Austin Jenkins March 8, 2018

washnigton state capitol CREDIT: BRIANHE / WIKIMEDIA - TINYURL.COM/ZMPZ86K

Washington homeowners would get some property tax relief in 2019 under a bill that passed the Democratically-controlled state Senate Wednesday night over Republican objections. The bill is part of a final budget deal reached with the House as the Legislature heads toward a scheduled adjournment on Thursday, March 8. Read More