WA Senate leader explains dim outlook for a new tax on big businesses

By: Jerry Cornfield

Outlets: Washington State Standard

Published: February 3, 2026

Words: 932

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 1 day ago

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A year ago, Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, signed onto legislation to create a statewide version of a Seattle tax on the payrolls of Washington’s largest employers.

But it didn’t gain traction as the Democrat-led Legislature settled on other means of raising more than $9 billion in taxes from businesses over four years to bridge an operating budget gap.

This year, Pedersen has signalled the payroll expense tax is a nonstarter, even as his …

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