Oregon Public Broadcasting

It looks like Washington voters will decide this fall whether to impose an income tax on people who make more than $200,000 a year.

Bill Gates Sr: "Last box. Last box. Last box. Way to be strong. Ya."

Thursday, backers of Initiative 1098 used a bucket brigade approach to deliver 33 boxes of petitions to the Secretary of State's office.

Supporters say the tax measure would raise one billion dollars a year for education and healthcare.

Bill Gates Senior is the public face of the campaign. He admits the tax on high income earners won't erase Washington's long-term budget woes. Bill Gates Sr: "It doesn't solve that basic problem. The fact remains we want, at this time, regardless of the economic situation to have a state in which we are amply funding our educational activities."

Washington's business community is quickly rallying to oppose the income tax. Those critics say it would stifle innovation in Washington. They also warn that there's nothing to stop the legislature in future years from extending the income tax to all Washingtonians.