Bob Ferguson said a wealth tax would face an immediate court challenge. He signed a millionaires' income tax; it was sued ten days later.
- 1 APR 2025SAID
- 23 DEC 2025EXPLAINED
- 30 MAR 2026≠ SIGNED
- 9 APR 2026SUED
≠ He warned a wealth tax would face an immediate court challenge; the income tax he signed did
1 · SAID · 1 APR 2025
“Second, they both rely on a wealth tax which is novel, untested, difficult to implement, and most importantly for purposes of adopting a sustainable budget will face an immediate challenge in court.”
As governor, on the House and Senate budget proposals.
2 · EXPLAINED · 23 DEC 2025
“it's apples and oranges from the conversation last session. Again, I would not be supporting it if they relied on it, right?”
3 · ≠ SIGNED · 30 MAR 2026
| Bill | SB 6346 (Chapter 238, Laws of 2026) |
|---|---|
| What it does | 9.9% tax on Washington taxable income above $1M a year, from 1 Jan 2028; not a tax on assets |
| Votes | Senate 27-22, House 51-46, Senate concurred 27-21 |
| Ferguson | SIGNED |
First payments are due in 2029 (no estimated payments before 1 Jul 2029).
4 · SUED · 9 APR 2026
| Court | Klickitat County Superior Court |
|---|---|
| Filed by | Former AG Rob McKenna, Citizen Action Defense Fund (Petter et al.) |
| Claim | Income is property under Culliton v. Chase (1933): the tax must be uniform and no higher than 1% |
HOW WE CHECKED THIS
Quotes were transcribed from the original video and cut at clause boundaries. The bill history and session law were read on the Washington Legislature's site on 29 Oct 2026; the lawsuit from KNKX/KUOW. A wealth tax and an income tax are different taxes; the video says so. Spot an error? Tell us, and we’ll correct it in public.