Washington voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to keep a new 9.9% tax on income above $1 million. A yes vote on Initiative 645 would repeal the tax; a no vote would leave it in place. But the measure also reaches beyond the new tax, making this a broader decision about Washington’s future rules for taxing individual income. The News Tribune’s voter guide walks through common questions and claims voters may encounter.
The tax is scheduled to begin in 2028. It applies to income—not someone’s net worth—so owning a home worth more than $1 million would not, by itself, trigger it. The state’s tax information says the threshold applies to individuals and married couples filing jointly with annual adjusted gross income above $1 million.
Initiative 645 would also prohibit state and local governments from imposing taxes on individual income or taxes measured by an individual’s income. That means the ballot question is not limited to whether this particular tax survives; it would also restrict future lawmakers’ options. The official ballot summary spells out the measure’s scope.
The state’s fiscal impact statement estimates that approval would reduce state revenue by about $11.4 billion across fiscal years 2027 through 2031, while saving roughly $150 million in state agency costs over that period. The official disclosure says funding for public schools, higher education and human services—primarily health care—would decrease. The News Tribune’s full guide examines the arguments and misconceptions behind the measure, including what it could mean for pensions and future taxes.
Read the News Tribune story here.
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