A recent article (“Ferguson outlines his requirements for WA ‘millionaires tax,’ ” Feb. 18, Local News) and column (“WA Democrats have a messaging problem on new state income tax,” Feb. 19, Local News) take pains to describe the shortfalls of the proposed millionaires tax and some of the ways that it can be improved to deliver more tax relief to the citizens of Washington state.
Primary among these improvements are increases in the Working Families Tax Credit, small-business relief through exemptions and reductions to the B&O tax, sales-tax holidays and the elimination of the sales tax for many personal hygiene products.
The problem is that these improvements, for the most part, do nothing for retired senior citizens. We don’t qualify for the WFTC because we no longer work. We no longer own businesses. Sales tax holidays may help, but fixed incomes decrease most purchases. The savings on no taxes on personal hygiene products are minuscule. The largest single expense most retired seniors have is their real estate property tax. This is never mentioned.
Maybe a freeze on increases or a reduction should be considered?
Robert Oberlander, Issaquah
