Inslee: Extending expiring taxes not an increase
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Gov. Jay Inslee said Thursday that he doesn't consider the extension of temporary taxes — as proposed by his predecessor — a tax increase and that the idea is one of many he is open to as the legislative budget process begins.
At his first official news conference as governor, Inslee said that while he's not proposing anything specific, he wants to give the Legislature "room to discuss this potential."
"I don't want to foreclose the possibility of those being on the table for discussion," he said. "I'm not proposing it right now. I think it's something that people are ultimately going to consider."
Last month, former Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed a budget that would extend taxes on beer and business taxes paid by doctors, lawyers, accountants and others.
Inslee, a Democrat, said he's not breaking his campaign promise eschewing taxes because he doesn't consider the extensions new taxes.
"These do not increase taxes," he said. "They do not raise taxes on people over the existing level that they are paying today."
But House Republicans' point person on the budget, Rep. Gary Alexander of Olympia, said his caucus considers extending taxes the same as a tax increase and oppose any move in that direction.
"We're hoping we can reach a budget solution that doesn't require any tax increases and that the governor will support it when we do," he said.
Inslee was sworn in Wednesday. He takes office facing a projected $900 million deficit for the next two-year budget ending in mid-2015.
That doesn't include money lawmakers will need to spend to improve funding for education as directed by the state Supreme Court earlier this year.
House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, said that considering the large fiscal problem ahead of lawmakers, Inslee's clarified stance on extending temporary taxes "certainly makes it easier, if that's something we can consider as part of a solution."
"When you're looking at the range of options, that's one that makes some sense," he said.
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Follow Rachel La Corte at http://www.twitter.com/RachelAPOly or http://www.facebook.com/news.rachel . Associated Press writer Mike Baker contributed to this report.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
I guess it depends on what your definition of "IS" is.
Ah, I knew it was too good to be true! Lying bas%@rd. It most certainly IS a tax increase because the if the tax were set to expire at a definative date, then taxes would be lower. To "extend" the "temporary tax" IS a tax increase because the tax should have gone away. Too bad these morons can't control their spending.
A democrat that wants to keep taxes high? Shocking.
Apparently he doesn't consider "temporary" temporary either. My congratulations to the voters of Washington State
Wonderful. Another fine example of the Liberal ideology in action. Liberals like Inslee use the logic that "it was once higher, or once worse, therefore it's not an increase". The same skewed Liberal logic appears every time Obama wants to raise taxes, "because they used to be higher". That's like saying that a minor episode of the "Black Plague" would be OK with Liberals. Because a lot more people died before, so this is acceptable. Liberalism IS a mental disorder.
Remember last week?       http://www.katu.com/politics/Inslee-still-says-no-taxes-needed-for-Wash-budget-186392641.html
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The lobotomy is nearing completion . . . .        Â
So he's for extending the B&O "surcharge" and hindering small businesses. No surprise.
This is way too funny.
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Politicians have a way to dance around everything. They would sell their grandmothers into slave labor and make their daughter turn tricks to get elected and stay in office.