WA judge rejects bid to ditch description of income tax initiative's budget effects

The briefing

A Thurston County judge upheld the one-sentence public investment statement that will appear on ballots describing the budget consequences of Initiative 645. The measure would repeal the 9.9% tax on wage income above $1 million a year, which the Department of Revenue estimates would raise roughly $2.7 billion in its first year. Challenger West called the statements politically charged propaganda and unconstitutional, and said he would appeal directly to the state Supreme Court.