Oregon Public Broadcasting

A legislative proposal for an income tax on wealthy Washingtonians appears to be dead -- at least this year.

Instead, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown is floating a temporary three-tenths-percent increase in the state sales tax to restore cuts to healthcare. Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.

Senator Brown hasn’t abandoned her idea of taxing high-wage earners. But the Spokane Democrat says it’s not something that’s likely to fly this year.

At the same time, polling by advocacy groups indicates voters might be more likely to agree to something else: a temporary, three-tenths of a penny increase in the state sales tax dedicated to healthcare.

Sen. Brown says more than that and voters balk.

Lisa Brown: “We already rely very heavily on the sales tax in Washington state and we’re getting close to what I think many people consider a wall and that is the ten percent level in King county.”

Brown says she would only agree to the three-tenths proposal if it includes a tax rebate for lower-income families.

The proposal would raise about $600 million to buy back cuts to the Basic Health plan, hospitals, nursing homes and perhaps mental health services.

Voters would be asked to approve the tax next November.