OLYMPIA – A bill to increase affordability and economic stability in Washington state was introduced in the Senate Thursday.
Senate Bill 5795, sponsored by Sens. Deb Krishnadasan (D-Gig Harbor) and Adrian Cortes (D-Battle Ground), would decrease the state sales tax from 6.5% to 6% — the state’s first sales tax reduction in over 40 years. Washington has the nation’s ninth highest state sales tax and the fourth highest when average local and state sales tax rates are combined.
“Washington has one of the most regressive tax systems in the country, forcing those with the least to pay the most,” Krishnadasan said. “Lowering the sales tax is a meaningful step toward easing that burden, making everyday essentials more affordable and creating a fairer system for Washington’s working families.”
The Economic Revenue Forecast Council projects Washington state will bring in an estimated $32.7 billion in sales tax revenue over the 2025-2027 biennium (as published by the Office of Financial Management). The bill would reduce that number to $30.2 billion, putting more than $2.5 billion back in Washingtonians’ pockets — an estimated average of over $300 per individual.
“This bill is designed to provide meaningful relief for working families and retirees,” Cortes said. “At a time of economic uncertainty, we must take action and support Washingtonians in every way we can.”
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