24th District Unites To Pass The Millionaire's Tax While Dems Split On Universal Healthcare

Taxing the wealthy to save Washington's safety net

News by Blanchard Alice

Washingtonians pushed back against the Trump administration's agenda this working session by passing a bill that mitigates the federal healthcare legislation coming into effect. SB 6346, known as the "millionaire's tax", is designed to combat the healthcare crisis caused by the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" on several fronts by introducing a state income tax on millionaires as a means to reclaim a portion of these federal tax breaks that are bankrupting the state. 

A statement released by Governor Bob Ferguson's office explained that "the Millionaires’ Tax will apply to less than one half of one percent of Washingtonians, but make life more affordable for millions." Ferguson noted that he looked forward to signing the bill into law and that it "represents historic progress in rebalancing our unfair system." 

The hearing that preceded the bill's vote revealed some dishonesty, party line talking points, and potentially corrupt conduct, as well as some brave speakers who paid personally for their role in the debate.

A strong supporter of the bill, Jed Feller, President of HD Fowler Company, testified about his business that employs over 400 Washingtonians across the state and would be subject to the new tax. Contradicting many of the more conservative perspectives, he argued that investing in our communities is fundamentally pro-business. Feller took a stand against corporate greed and said that beyond his own willingness, " I should pay this tax, and others like me should pay this tax." 

Feller's statement prompted a response from Sen Gildon that portrayed a profound misunderstanding of how the tax system functions by suggesting a private citizen solve a systemic revenue problem by fulfilling non-existent tax obligations. "What's stopping you from paying the taxes right now? I mean, without having legislation mandated for you. Why don't you just do it voluntarily,  provide prosperity for all Washingtonians?" This isn't possible as without passed legislation, there is no established public account to pay into, no agency to manage voluntary funds, and no system to distribute benefits.

Feller responded that it was the improved system for everyone he sought, not personal gain, and that "a system like that provides, frankly, more success for the business I run than lowering my tax rate, for me personally". Feller also faced personal backlash for his testimony from within his company and industry, ultimately causing him to resign his position as chairman while keeping his position as president. 

Also in strong support of the bill, Eli Taylor-Goss, executive director of The Washington State Budget and Policy Center, was joined by a statewide coalition of teachers, home healthcare workers, parents, childcare providers, laborers, small business owners, and individuals who would be subject to the tax–all in agreement that SB 6346 should be passed. Taylor-Goss testified about shared priorities, "we're all here because we care deeply about people and programs in our communities," and spoke about Washingtonians having a "monumental opportunity to begin to truly shift our upside-down tax code more right-side up."

Our 24th district came in with unanimous support for the bill which has recently been signed by Governor Ferguson in a ceremony in Olympia on March 30th . Senator Mike Chapman was one of the original co-sponsors of the bill, and so his "Yea" vote was expected, but the support from our representatives. Bernbaum and Tharinger, while not being as public or vocal, supported it in the end. Tharinger has announced he will be retiring after serving 8 terms, so it's possible the lack of re-election considerations and legacy had an impact on his vote. T​​he 24th District now faces a choice between Patrick DePoe and Aiden Hamilton for his seat, which will determine if this "unanimous support" continues in 2027.

Dan Bronoske, gatekeeper to universal healthcare for Washingtonians.

A healthcare bill near-success was SB 5947, known as the "trigger bill", or the "engine" of Washington's larger universal healthcare proposal, SB 5233, the "Washington Health Trust". The separation of 5233 into smaller, more targeted bills reveals a change in tactic in response to urgently needed safety nets to replace crumbling systems under this administration's healthcare cuts.

SB 5947 had momentum, passing in the Senate with every Democrat voting for it, and then surprisingly, was stymied in the House Health Care and Wellness Committee by Chair Bronoske, who refused to "gavel in" the bill for a hearing, despite a 3-to-1 margin of public support and major endorsements.  

This is representative of a growing divide on the left which seems rooted in differences of perspective on systems. Institutional Democrats believe that solutions are found with incremental change vs the more progressive perspective, which sees fundamental and systemic changes to the system itself as being the only path to solutions. 

However, Bronoske acting against the clear voice of his constituents raises some questions to be asked about his motivations. According to the Public Disclosure Commission, nearly 60% of Bronoske's donations came from PACs, including interests such as WA Medical PAC, Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America, and Molina Healthcare, and another 22% from businesses–painting a picture of a politician overwhelmingly connected to the desires of corporations over the interests of his people. 

This reveals a landscape of obstacles for supporters of universal healthcare solutions, who are facing resistance from both parties due to a single shared interest–corporate profit. 

It's possible, with public pressure, that as a part of Representative Tharinger's legacy, he could still play a crucial role in the healthcare debate as it continues or strike a deal with Chair Bronoske using his influence as Chair of Capital Budget. It should be noted that Tharinger did not publicly break ranks with leadership to demand a hearing, and he also receives significant funding from many of the same PACs and healthcare entities.

The progress universal healthcare legislation has made shows that incredible coordination of large numbers of volunteers can indeed counterbalance the powerful influence of PACs in our political system, even if we can't overpower them every time. For now, we all have come to expect corporate and PAC influence in politics, though when any representative votes against a 3-1 margin of support, it could be seen as a betrayal of the most fundamental obligation of the job.