Need income tax

Having lived almost 40 years of my adult life in Washington, I have watched our Legislature struggle without success to fully fund public education (as ordered by the Washington Supreme Court in 2012).

Right now there are three competing plans to fully fund our schools. There’s Gov. Jay Inslee’s plan, which largely relies on taxing capital gains, carbon and increasing the B&O tax on some businesses. Then there is the House Democrats’ plan that includes the capital gains tax, raises B&O taxes on larger businesses and progressively raises the real estate excise tax on home sales. Finally there is the Senate Republican plan that establishes a statewide property tax.

None of these plans will provide a sustainable and secure level of funding for our schools in the 21st century.

There is only one source of taxation that can fully fund our schools and truly equalize support for school operations and school construction. That source is a state income tax dedicated entirely to education. Until both political parties can unite and work to amend our constitution, all their revenue fixes will ultimately fall short of what’s so urgently needed for our schools and our future.

Louis Wein

Spokane