Letter: Why Petition IP26-645 is a stand for the people, not a political party

🎧 IP26-645: 400K Signatures, One July 2 Deadline

Jonathan Hines believes Washington has thrived without a personal income tax, attracting innovation and hard working families who value the ability to keep what they earn

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and may not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com

We stand at a critical crossroads for the future of our state’s economy and the sanctity of the public’s voice. There is a deadline fast approaching — July 2 — and a goal that requires our immediate and collective action: gathering over 400,000 signatures for Petition IP26-645. This effort is not a matter of partisan bickering; it is not a “Democrat versus Republican” issue. It is a fundamental question of whether the government must respect the repeatedly expressed will of its citizens, or if it can unilaterally open a door that Washingtonians have spent nearly a century trying to keep closed.

Jonathan Hines

The primary objective of IP26-645 is to repeal the “Millionaire Tax.” While the branding suggests it only touches a tiny fraction of the wealthiest individuals, we must look at the structural reality of how taxation works. History shows us that once an administrative apparatus for an income-based tax is established, it rarely stays confined to its original target. By allowing this tax to stand, we are providing the state government with the functional architecture to eventually apply an income tax to every working family in Washington.

For decades, the citizens of this state have maintained a clear and consistent boundary. Since 1934, Washingtonians have gone to the ballot box and voted “No” on a state income tax ten separate times. This isn’t a statistical anomaly; it is a definitive mandate. We have chosen, decade after decade, to maintain a system that does not penalize personal productivity or investment in the way an income tax does. To bypass this history by reclassifying an income-based tax as an “excise tax” is more than just a legal maneuver — it is an end-run around the voters.

If we fail to reach the 400,000-signature threshold by July 2, we essentially concede that the government can implement what the voters have explicitly rejected. The “Millionaire Tax” is the camel’s nose under the tent. If the legal precedent is allowed to settle, the threshold for who is considered “wealthy” can be lowered with a simple legislative vote in the future. We have seen this pattern in other states: taxes that begin as “temporary” or “targeted” eventually expand to fill the budgetary appetites of a growing government.

Signing IP26-645 is about protecting the “No” that we have uttered ten times over. It is about ensuring that if such a radical change to our state’s tax architecture is ever to occur, it must happen because the people voted for it, not because of a legislative workaround. We are fighting for the principle that the government is the servant of the people, not the master of their earnings.

This petition gives us the opportunity to reaffirm our state’s unique economic identity. Washington has thrived without a personal income tax, attracting innovation and hard working families who value the ability to keep what they earn. Because the window for action is so short, I urge each citizen to become an active participant in this preservation of our rights. I urge you to tell 10 people every day about this petition and commit to gathering at least 10 signatures yourself.

By taking this personal responsibility, you are not voting for a party; you are voting for transparency, for the honoring of past mandates, and for a future where your paycheck remains protected. Please, join your neighbors in this non-partisan stand. The clock is ticking toward July 2. Let’s ensure the voice of the people is heard for the eleventh time — and that this time, the message is final.

Jonathan Hines
Vancouver/Hazel Dell