State Treasurer To Speak on Tax Reform at October Drinking Liberally-Redmond

Drinking Liberally - Redmond gives like-minded progressives a place to talk politics. You don’t need to be a policy expert and this isn’t a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent in an informal, friendly environment.

Our next meeting is:

Tuesday, October 13, 7 - 9 PM (as always, the second Tuesday of the month)
Pomegranate Restaurant
18005 NE 68th St, Redmond, WA 98052

This month’s topic: The McCleary decision by the state supreme court makes it clear that more revenue is needed. It is mathematically impossible to sustain any education system with our state’s shrinking tax base. To fully resolve the McCleary case also requires property tax levy reforms so that the state will pick up more of the cost of basic education that is now unconstitutionally paid from local school levies – an issue the Legislature has not yet dealt with. Unfortunately, our badly broken tax system is unfair, uncompetitive, and unproductive. Long term changes in our underlying economy have created a structural deficit where both economic growth and the demand for education services outpace revenues. Low income households and businesses carry too much of the load in a tax system that is often described as the worst in the nation.

Our speaker is James L. McIntire, who was elected as Washington’s 22nd State Treasurer in 2008 following five terms as a Representative in the State House. McIntire earned his PhD in economics at the University of Washington, where he founded and directed a fiscal policy center and taught economics for 25 years. He began his political career working in the U.S. Senate for Hubert Humphrey, and served as a policy advisor to congressional committee chairmen and Washington governors.

Join us for a stimulating and important conversation.