State Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, called for a special session of the Legislature to be held to provide a tax cut for Washington residents in the face of increased inflation.
In her statement, Wilson referred to economic statistics released by the U.S. Department of Labor last month that showed annual inflation had hit 8.6%, surpassing annual wage growth.
Wilson, the Republican ranking member on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said Democrats in the state Legislature have been failing the residents of Washington.
“The biggest failure of the 2022 legislative session was the majority’s flat refusal to provide meaningful tax relief for people hardest hit by costs that are at a 40-year high,” Wilson said. “There is still no excuse for not helping struggling families in this time where historical inflation has eaten away at any discretionary income. Putting food on the table is getting harder and harder, disproportionately affecting the working and middle class. Gas prices have more than doubled since January 2021 and are rising daily, with no end in sight. This is the top concern at the state and national level, but majority Democrats here in Washington continue to fail the people they claim to put first.”
Wilson called for a suspension of the state gas tax, accusing Democrats in the Legislature of fighting the idea while Democrats at the federal level have called for a suspension of the federal gas tax.
Wilson said the state has billions of dollars in reserves with the amount expected to grow. According to Wilson, a suspension of the gas tax would provide “relief” to taxpayers without endangering the state government’s transportation budget.
“We won’t have to reduce state services and the state will still have ample reserves. It’s past time. What are we waiting for?” Wilson asked.
