From Ballotpedia The Washington Income Tax, Initiative 1098 was on the November 2, 2010 ballot in Washington as an Initiative to the People.[1]
AN ACT relating to education, health care, and fiscal reform; adding a new section to chapter 82.04 RCW; amending RCW 82.04.4451; adding a new chapter to Title 82 RCW; and prescribing penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 101. INTENT. It is the intent of the people to create a new trust fund dedicated to improving education and health services and providing middle class tax relief by reducing the state property tax by twenty percent and eliminating the business and occupation tax for all small businesses, to be funded by an excise tax on joint income in excess of $400,000 or in the case of individuals $200,000 dollars.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 201. (1) A new state trust fund in hereby established dedicated to funding education and health services and middle class tax relief. The trust is known and cited as the education, health services, and middle class tax relief trust and is funded by th excise tax on joint incomes in excess of $400,000 ($200,000 for individuals) imposed under this chapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 301. Beginning in 2012, the state property tax levy is reduced by twenty percent of the levy amount that would otherwise be allowed under this chapter without regard to this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 302. It is the intent of the voters that beginning in 2012, the business and occupation tax imposed in chapter 82.04 RCW on small business must be eliminated by increasing the business and occupation tax credit to four thousand eight hundred dollars per year, which will exempt approximately the smallest eighty percent of businesses in the state from the business and occupation tax and reduce the business and occupation tax for other businesses. The elimination of the business and occupation tax for small businesses must be carried out as provided in RCW 82.04.4451.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 303. RCW 82.04.4451 and 2010 c 23 s 1102 are each amended to read as follows:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 401. The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 402. DEFINITION OF TERMS GENERALLY. Except as provided in section 401 of this act and RCW 1.12.080, any term used in this chapter has the same meaning as when used in a comparable context in the internal revenue code.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 501. EXCISE TAX IMPOSED--RATES. (1) An excise tax is imposed on the receipt of all taxable income of resident individuals deriving income from sources within this state for each taxable year based on the type of return filed and the amount of income in accordance with this section. An excise tax is not imposed on the assets held by a person resulting from income after its receipt, but only upon the receipt itself.
| If taxable income received is: | The tax is: |
|---|---|
| Not over $400,000 | 0 |
| Over $400,000 but not over $1,000,000 | 5.0% of the excess over $400,000 |
| Over $1,000,000 | $30,000 plus 9.0% of the excess over $1,000,000 |
| If taxable income received is: | The tax is: |
|---|---|
| Not over $200,000 | 0 |
| Over $200,000 but not over $500,000 | 5.0% of the excess over $200,000 |
| Over $500,000 | $15,000 plus 9.0% of the excess over $500,000 |
NEW SECTION. Sec. 502. CREDIT FOR INCOME TAXES DUE ANOTHER JURISDICTION. (1) A resident individual is allowed a credit against the tax imposed under this chapter for the amount of any income tax imposed by another state or foreign county, or political subdivision of the state or foreign country, on income taxed under this chapter, subject to the following conditions, which must be imposed separately with respect to each taxing jurisdiction:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 503. DUAL RESIDENCE. If an individual is regarded as a resident both of this state and another jurisdiction for state personal income tax purposes, the department must reduce the tax on that portion of the taxpayer's income which is subjected to tax in both jurisdiction solely by virtue of dual residence, if the other taxing jurisdiction allows a similar reduction. The reduction must equal the lower of the two taxes applicable to the income taxed twice, multiplied by a fraction. The numerator of the fraction is the tax imposed by this state on the income taxed twice. The denominator of the fraction is the tax imposed by both jurisdictions on the income tax taxed twice. The fraction must never be greater than one.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 504. PARTNERSHIPS AND S CORPORATIONS. (1) Partnerships are not subject to tax under this chapter. Partners are subject to tax under this chapter in their separate or individual capacities on their distribution share.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 601. ABSOLUTE TAX THRESHOLD. It is the intent of this act that in no event may excise tax be imposed upon joint adjusted gross income below $400,000 ($200,000 for individuals). No provisions of this chapter may allow the imposition of tax upon joint income below $400,000 ($200,000 for individuals).
NEW SECTION. Sec. 602. FEDERAL OBLIGATIONS. From adjusted gross income, deduct, to the extent included in adjusted gross income, income derived from obligations of the United States which this state is prohibited by federal law from subjecting to a net income tax.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 701. APPORTIONMENT AND ALLOCATION OF INCOME. (1) For resident individuals, all income must be apportioned and allocated to this state.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 801. EMPLOYER WITHHOLDING--REQUIREMENTS. (1) Every employer making a payment of wages or salaries earned in this state, regardless of the place where the payment is made, and who is required by the internal revenue code to withhold taxes, must deduct and withhold a tax as prescribed by the department by rule. The rules prescribed must reasonably reflect the annual tax liability of the employee under this chapter. Every employer making such a deduction and withholding must furnish to the employee a record of the amount of tax deducted and withheld from the employee on forms provided by the department.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 802. LIABILITY OF EMPLOYER FOR TAX WITHHELD. Any person required to deduct and withhold the tax imposed by this chapter is liable under section 804 of this act to the department for the payment of the amount deducted and withheld, and is not liable to any other person for the amount of tax deducted and withheld under this chapter or for the act of withholding.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 803. CREDIT FOR TAX WITHHELD--HOW CLAIMED. The amount deducted and withheld as tax under sections 801 through 805 of this act during any taxable year is allowed as a credit against the tax imposed for the taxable year by this chapter. If the liability of any individual for taxes, interest, penalties, or other amounts due the state of Washington is less than the total amount of the credit which the individual is entitled to claim under this section, the individual is entitled to a refund from the department in the amount of the excess of the credit over the tax otherwise due. If any individual entitled to claim a credit under this section is not otherwise required by this chapter to file a return, a refund may be obtained in the amount of the credit by filing a return, with applicable sections completed, to claim the refund. No credit or refund is allowed under this section unless the credit or refund is claimed on a return filed for the taxable year for which the amount was deducted and withheld.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 804. WITHHOLDING--FAILURE TO PAY OR COLLECT--PENALTIES. (1) The tax required by this chapter to be collected by the employer is deemed to be held in trust by the employer until paid to the department.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 805. ESTIMATED TAX IMPOSED--DUE DATE OF ESTIMATED TAXES--AMOUNT OF ESTIMATED TAX--UNDERPAYMENT PENALTY. (1) Each individual subject to taxation by this chapter, who is required by the internal revenue code to make payment of estimated taxes, must pay to the department on forms prescribed by the department the estimated taxes due under this chapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 901. METHOD OF ACCOUNTING. (1) A taxpayer's method of accounting for purposes of the tax imposed under this chapter is the same as the taxpayer's method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. If no method of accounting has been regularly used by a taxpayer for federal income tax purposes or if the method used does not clearly reflect income, tax due under this chapter is computed by a method of accounting which in the opinion of the department fairly reflects income.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 902. PERSONS REQUIRED TO FILE RETURNS. (1) Only taxpayers with joint income in excess of $400,000 ($200,000 for individuals) are required to file a tax return with the department. The department must utilize such taxpayer's federal tax returns as a primary tool for obtaining taxpayers' information. The department must prescribe a simple supplement of no more than two pages for computing the excise tax owed under this chapter. Each person required to file a return under this chapter must, without assessment, notice, or demand, pay any tax due thereon to the department on or before the date fixed for the filing of the return.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 903. DUE DATE FOR FILING A RETURN--EXTENSIONS--INTEREST AND PENALTIES. The due date of a return required to be filed with the department is the due date of the federal income tax return or informational return for federal income tax purposes. The department must have the authority to grant extensions of times by which returns required to be filed by this chapter may be submitted. The department must also have the authority to grant extensions of time to pay tax with regard to taxes imposed by this chapter. Interest at the rate as specified in RCW 82.32.050 accrues during any extension period and the interest and penalty provisions of chapter 82.32 RCW apply to late payments and deficiencies. Notwithstanding the limitation of RCW 82.32.090, in the case of the late filing of an informational return, there is imposed a penalty the amount of which is established by the department by rule. The penalty may not exceed fifty dollars per month for a maximum of ten months. RCW 82.32.105 applies to this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 904. JOINT RETURN. (1) If the federal income tax liabilities of both spouses are determined on a joint federal return for the taxable year, they must file a joint return under this chapter unless one spouse is a resident and the other is a nonresident.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 905. RECORDS--RETURNS. (1) Every taxpayer with joint income in excess of $400,000 ($200,000 for individuals) and all others required to deduct and withhold the tax imposed under this chapter must keep records, render statements, make returns, file reports, and perform other acts as the department requires by rule. Each return must be made under penalty of perjury and on forms prescribed by the department. The department may require other statements and reports be made under penalty of perjury and on forms prescribed by the department. The department may require any taxpayer and any person required to deduct and withhold the tax imposed under this chapter to furnish to the department a correct copy of any return or document which the taxpayer has filed with the internal revenue service or received from the internal revenue service.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 906. PROVISIONS OF INTERNAL REVENUE CODE CONTROL. (1) To the extent possible without being inconsistent with this chapter, all of the provisions of the internal revenue code relating to the following subjects apply to the taxes imposed under this chapter:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 907. REFUNDS OF OVERPAYMENTS--OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. (1) The department must refund all taxes improperly paid or collected.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 908. RULES. The department may adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW for the administration and enforcement of this chapter, including a phase-in for fiscal year taxpayers. The rules, to the extent possible without being inconsistent with this chapter, must follow the internal revenue code and the regulations and rulings of the United States treasury department with respect to the federal income tax. The department may adopt as a part of these rules any portions of the internal revenue code and treasury department regulations and rulings, in whole or in part.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 909. APPEALS. The board of tax appeals shall have jurisdiction over appeals relating to tax deficiencies and refunds, including penalties and interest, pursuant to this chapter. The taxpayer may elect a formal or informal hearing pursuant to RCW 82.03.140.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1001. CONTEXT. In 1932, more than seventy percent of Washington voters approved an income tax initiative and simultaneously cut property taxes in half. The following year, the state supreme court, in an opinion that ultimately relied on United States supreme court cases that have long since been overruled, treated Washington's graduated income tax, as then drafted, as a nonuniform property tax. This threw the state's tax system into confusion and led to Washington's overreliance on high sales taxes and the business and occupations tax. The sales tax is regressive and stunts business growth. The business and occupation tax, which is peculiar to Washington state, discourages investment and encourages many potential employers to take their business elsewhere. The tax established by this initiative is intentionally structured as an excise tax on the receipt of income during a taxable year rather than as a property tax on money as an asset, after it has been received. As an excise tax rather than a property tax, this tax is intended to conform to the legal framework adopted by almost all states, consistent with United States supreme court rulings as they have evolved during the past eight decades. This initiative is also aimed at replicating the voters' 1932 action to reduce property taxes while installing a much fairer tax system overall and providing more stable funding to enable the state to meet its constitutional duty to provide for the education of all children, and to enable the state to better provide for the costs of health care.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1002. SEVERABILITY. The provisions of this initiative are contingent upon the validity of the excise tax in section 501 of this act. Except as to this contingency, the voters intend the provisions of this initiative to be severable such that if any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1003. APPLICATION. This chapter and sections 302 and 303 of this act apply to taxes collectible in 2012 and thereafter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1004. The excise tax rates in section 501 of this act may not be increased for any income level without a majority vote of the legislature and submission of the changes to the people for approval.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1005. CODIFICATION. Sections 101 through 301 and 401 through 1004 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 82 RCW.
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