Washington lawmakers must consider costs of all taxes

As lawmakers in Olympia inch toward adjournment, they must keep in mind the total added costs of new taxes on our state’s economy. It is not just about the taxes and fees they impose.

They are working against an April 23 deadline to enact a two-year financial plan and find sufficient funding for it. Unlike Congress, states must balance their budgets.

While the funding decisions are generally contentious, this year legislative tension is high because Gov. Jay Inslee (D) and lawmakers must find ways to pay for our K-12 public schools as mandated by our state’s Supreme Court under the 2012 McClea...