Contact: Jason Mercier, Budget Research Analyst
(360) 956-3482 or jmercier@effwa.org

Your paycheck is finally yours
May 9 is Tax Freedom Day for Washingtonians

Tomorrow, taxpayers in Washington will earn the first dollars of the year not earmarked for their tax burden. Washingtonians worked 129 days this year to reach to reach Tax Freedom Day. Only taxpayers in Connecticut have to work longer in 2002 to pay their total tax burden.

Tax Freedom Day has been calculated by the non-profit Tax Foundation since 1937. Using a formula to determine the total federal, state and local tax burdens across the nation, the foundation has issued rankings to the states and highlighted on which date taxpayers reach Tax Freedom Day.

In comparison to our neighbors, Washington’s total tax burden is by far the highest:

State	Ranking	Tax Freedom Day	% of income	Days Worked
Idaho	37	April 20	30.3	110
Oregon	33	April 21	30.5	111
California	10	April 29	32.7	119
Washington	2	May 9	35.6	129

While Washington currently ranks second in the nation for total tax burden as a percentage of income (at 35.6%), actions in Olympia this fall may guarantee the state a first place finish next year. The current budget outlook and rumblings about "revenue not keeping pace with expenditures" indicate a desire by some to increase Washington's state and local tax burden.

"To avoid a first place finish next year, legislators must look past the tendency to blame taxpayers for not keeping pace with their spending habits," said Bob Williams, EFF's president. "Instead of spending like they have a blank check, lawmakers must use the same budget principles our families use: spend only what you have."

Williams went on to say, "It took 129 days to pay our tax bill in 2002 and already whispers of increasing our local tax burden threaten to steal more days away from working for our families next year. At least for the rest of this year we can finally cash our paychecks for ourselves instead of making a direct deposit into government's coffers."

For more information regarding Washington's Tax Freedom Day please visit:

http://www.effwa.org/highlighters/v12_n6.php
http://www.taxfoundation.org/home.html

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org