“Income tax proponents have spent many years trying to get the Washington Supreme Court to overturn a century of law holding that, under the state constitution, graduated income taxes are unconstitutional. In our democracy, any change in settled law that is based on our constitution’s plain language should be by vote of the people, not […]
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The Great Pandemic Wealth Migration – Wall Street Journal
A recent WSJ.com article highlighted the increasing wealth/business migration out of high-tax states to lower/no income tax states. Unfortunately, Washington state is no longer on this list of states “Notably, four of the 10 states that gained the most income [from migration] in 2020 don’t impose an income tax (Florida, Texas, Tennessee and Nevada). The […]
Judge Strikes Down Capital Gains Tax On Grounds That It Is Unconstitutional
The Opportunity for All Coalition (OFAC) issued the following statement following Douglas County Superior Court Judge Bryan Huber’s decision to strike down the illegal capital gains income tax. Judge Huber’s ruling was based on the grounds that the tax is an unconstitutional income tax. “Judge Huber saw through the state’s attempt to enact this illegal […]
Two more suits filed to block Seattle’s new income tax
Seattle Times By Daniel Beekman August 9, 2017 Seattle’s new income tax has been hit with two new lawsuits, one involving the conservative Freedom Foundation and the other, former Republican state Attorney General Rob McKenna. In addition, five residents whose legal team includes former Republican state Attorney General Rob McKenna and two former state Supreme […]
Madrona Venture Group director launches nonprofit to challenge Seattle income tax in court
GeekWire By Monica Nickelsburg July 24, 2017 Matt McIlwain, managing director of Madrona Venture Group, has founded a non-profit to fund legal challenges to Seattle’s new income tax on high earners. The group, called the Opportunity for All Coalition, claims Seattle’s newly-passed tax is “illegal” and “unnecessary.” Earlier this month, the Seattle City Council passed a […]
Seattle ‘rich’ tax is illegal, tech investor Matt McIlwain says
Fox Business – Varney and Co. July 24, 2017 Madrona Venture Group Managing Director Matt McIlwain on the fight against Seattle’s ‘rich’ tax.
Seattle venture capitalist, former attorney general to lead fight against Seattle’s income tax
Puget Sound Business Journal By Ashley Stewart July 24, 2017 Seattle venture capitalist Matt McIlwain is leading a group to fund a legal challenge to the city’s new income tax on the wealthy. The group, a nonprofit called the Opportunity for All Coalition, argues Seattle’s income tax is illegal, unnecessary and will eventually expand to […]
Seattle Effort to Tax the Rich Appears Headed for Court Battle
Wall Street Journal By Zusha Elinson July 20, 2017 A new tax-the-rich measure in Seattle would hit about 9,000 taxpayers—about 2%—but the impact could go beyond wealthy Seattleites. Washington is one of seven states in the country, including Florida, Texas and Wyoming, without an income tax. Backers of the Seattle measure expected to be signed […]