Time for progressive taxes

As a local parent and member of MomsRising, an organization that represents thousands of moms and working families throughout this region and state, I agree there are better options to respond to the COVID-19 economic crisis than trying to cut our way out of it.

Despite our state’s immense wealth, low- and middle-income families faced enormous challenges before COVID-19, and those challenges are even more formidable now, especially for families of color and immigrants. We learned during the Great Recession that focusing on budget cuts deepens and lengthens an economic crisis. So this time, let’s instead invest in public policies that build resiliency: cradle-to-career education, direct cash assistance, healthcare, public health, housing, transportation, and small business assistance.

If millionaires, billionaires, and mega-corporations pay their fair share, we can make these investments and stave off cuts. Washington has abundant wealth, yet low- and middle-income families pay more in taxes as a share of their income than the wealthy. It’s time for new, progressive taxes on high-income earners.

This crisis has shown clearly that our health and wellbeing are interdependent — our state’s support for essential services and our future prosperity are no different. It’s time to balance our tax code and fund public investments that lift us all.

Heather Wallace

Spokane