We have just entered the fourth week of the 2026 legislative session. As we approach the halfway point of this 60-day session, the pace is relentless and “cutoff” deadlines are looming for bills to survive the initial committee stage of the lawmaking process.
Despite the short timeframe, the majority party is aggressively pushing more taxes, including a new income tax that was dropped just last night. While marketed as a tax on the wealthy, we know the truth: establishing the infrastructure for a state income tax is the first step toward a tax on every working family. At a time when you are already struggling with the high cost of groceries and fuel, Olympia should be focused on relief, not new ways to take your hard-earned money.
In the remainder of this update, I’ll examine the new income-tax proposal and two critical citizen-led initiatives, and provide an update on my legislation to protect our local shellfish industry from government greed.