Initiative 1475, to reduce the state’s sales tax rate from 6.5% to 5.5%
Key Findings
Initiative 1475 is an initiative to the legislature that would reduce the state sales tax by one percentage point, from 6.5% to 5.5%.
If the measure gains enough signatures lawmakers can adopt it next session, propose an alternative or take no action.
If lawmakers do not pass the initiative it will be placed on the November 2023 ballot, possibly with an alternative.
Local sales tax rates would not be affected.
Initiative 1475 would implement that same tax-cut policy that was proposed, but not passed, by a bipartisan bill introduced in 2022.
Introduction
A group of concerned citizens called Let’s Go Washington is gathering signatures for a proposed people’s initiative to the legislature, Initiative 1475, which would reduce the state sales tax rate from 6.5% to 5.5%, providing substantial tax relief to every person living in the state.
The initiative is the same policy that was proposed by SB 5932, a bipartisan bill introduced during the 2022 legislative session. The bill was not acted on by the legislature. The current sales tax rate of 6.5% has not been changed since 1982.
Initiative sponsors need to collect 324,516 valid signatures (8% of the votes cast in the last election for governor) to submit Initiative 1491 for consideration in the 2023 legislative session. The signatures must be received by the Secretary of State’s office by December 31, 2022.
If the measure qualifies lawmakers have three choices:
- They can enact the initiative into law as is (the governor’s signature is not required);
- They can take no action, in which case the initiative is forwarded to voters on the November 2023 ballot. If voters approve the initiative it becomes law;
- They can pass their own alternative version, in which case both versions, the original and the legislature’s, will appear on the November 2023 ballot. Voters will first decide if either version should become law and, if so, indicate on the same ballot which one should pass.
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