HB 1703 – Tax Exemption Transparency and Accountability Act – Tax Sanity Testimony before House Finance Committee

Testimony in support of HB 1703 – the Tax Exemption Transparency and Accountability Act (2019) Washington State House Finance Committee, Feb 26, 2019 Testimony by Steve Zemke – Director – Tax Sanity  Thank you for this opportunity to testify on … Continue reading

HB 1703 – Tax Exemption Transparency and Accountability Act Hearing in House Finance Committee Feb. 26, 2019

HB 1703 Hearing  in House Finance Committee Tuesday 2/26/19 at 8 AM in John L O’Brien Building Executive session to vote bill out of committee Wed. 2/27/2019 Your help is needed to get HB 1703 passed by the Washington State … Continue reading

Action Alert on ESSB 5513 to Increase Tax Exemption Transparency and Accountability

Action Alert on WA ESSB 5513 to Increase Tax Exemption Transparency and Accountability. ESSB 5513 on Tax Exemption Transparency and Accountability was passed last week by the Senate on a 47/0 vote. It is now in the House. Your help is needed now.  Please … Continue reading

Testimony on ESSB 5513 before WA House Finance Committee

Comments to House Finance Committee on ESSB 5513  Feb. 22, 2018 Steve Zemke Director – Tax Sanity Tax Sanity recommends passage of ESSB 5513. Updating the Department of Revenue’s Tax Exemption Report every two years instead of four years is … Continue reading

ESSB 5513 passes WA State Senate Unanimously. Now Awaits a House Vote

The Washington State Senate passed ESSB 5513 by a 47/0 Vote on Feb. 13, 2018. The bill has been sent to the House for a vote..ESSB 5513 is a substitute bill that has removed the provision that discretionary tax exemptions … Continue reading

Hearing Jan 18, 2018 on SB 5513 -The Tax Exemption Transparency and Accountability Act

SB 5513 will have a Hearing in the Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, Jan 18, 2018 at 3:30 PM  in  Senate Hearing Room 4 in Olympia. The information below explains the legislation and can also be … Continue reading

Wisconsin Gives Foxconn $3 Billion Tax Break

Foxconn grabs $3 billion tax break from Wisconsin. As the New York Times reports “Foxconn’s plan for a $10 billion factory in Wisconsin is certainly good news for President Trump and Republican politicians Gov. Scott Walker and Speaker Paul D. Ryan, … Continue reading

2017 Tax Exemption Transparency and Accountability Act to be Filed in Legislature

Tax Exemption Transparency and Accountability Act 2017 Representative Gerry Pollet and Senator David Frockt are filing updated versions of the Tax Exemption and Transparency Act that we filed in previous sessions of the Washington State Legislature. In the 2015 – … Continue reading

Why Enacting HB 1239/SB 5492 Would be Good Policy for Washington State

Tax preferences and tax incentives are called tax expenditures by most other states and the US Congress – they are revenue that is not collected. Not collecting this revenue from certain taxpayers is a form of picking winners and losers and the end … Continue reading

Tax Exemption Transparency and Accountability Initiative Recieves Ballot Title

Initiative 636 – the Tax Exemption Transparency and Accountability Act has received a ballot title from the Washington State Attorney General. According to  Washington State’s Department of Revenue’s figures, tax expenditures account for as much spending as the state spends … Continue reading