Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate
OLYMPIA… In a stark rebuke of the majority party’s latest tax agenda, Sen. Matt Boehnke today issued a statement following the Senate’s passage of three major tax bills—Senate Bill 5813, Senate Bill 5814, and Senate Bill 5794—all of which impose new or expanded tax burdens on Washington residents and businesses.
“At a time when families are facing higher costs on everything from groceries to gas, the majority party is doubling down on a tax-and-spend agenda that punishes work, savings, and innovation,” Boehnke said. “These bills do not reflect the values or priorities of Washingtonians. They reflect a government addicted to spending.”
SB 5813 would impose a 2.9% surcharge on capital gains over $1 million, on top of the existing 7% tax, and raise the estate-tax rate for estates exceeding $12 million to a staggering 35%, from the current 20%.
SB 5814 would expand the state sales tax to professional and digital services, targeting industries like IT, staffing, security systems, and digital advertising; it also includes a budget maneuver requiring large businesses to prepay taxes a month in advance to paper over a shortfall.
Nearly 97% of the residents who weighed in on SB 5814 opposed the bill – which Democrats framed as a “modernization” of the tax code – citing concerns over increased consumer costs, hidden taxes on services, and regressive impacts on middle-class families.
SB 5794 would eliminate over 60 tax preferences—some longstanding and critical to regional industries—and impose new taxes on aircraft and storage units, while selectively expanding incentives only in certain areas.
Boehnke, R-Kennewick, issued the additional statements following the Senate’s vote:
“SB 5813 sends a loud message to job creators and entrepreneurs: Washington doesn’t want you here. By pushing our capital gains and estate taxes to among the highest in the nation, we risk driving away the very people who invest in our economy, start businesses, and create jobs.”
“SB 5814 is a masterclass in how to hurt the economy while pretending to fix the budget. This bill taxes innovation, penalizes workers, and uses accounting gimmicks to fund unsustainable spending. It’s the wrong solution at the worst time.
“Let’s be clear: SB 5794 is not a cleanup bill—it’s a sweep. Instead of reforming tax preferences with care and accountability, this bill wipes out incentives that have supported jobs, economic development, and regional competitiveness for decades. The elimination of a preferred tax rate is, by definition, a tax hike.
“These bills aren’t about fairness—they’re about funding runaway spending on the backs of working Washingtonians. There is a better way to budget, starting with respecting taxpayers and restoring fiscal discipline.”
The 105-day legislative session is on its 97th day and will conclude on April 27.
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