Washington Residents Condemn Tax Increases In New Poll

Washington State's Legislature has been on a bit of a bender over the last few sessions when it comes to taxes.  In the years between 2014 and 2024, roughly 50 taxes and fees were either raised or created by the majority party (an increase of 103%) and signed by Governor Jay Inslee.

That was BEFORE the record $9 billion tax increase (that's a record if you weren't aware) passed this year with the impact to your wallet being phased in over the course of this year and into 2026.

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A new poll from Napolitan News Service reached out to 800 Washington State registered voters between September 5th and 9th to get their thoughts on a number of topics at the State and National level.  The results may, or may not, surprise you based on how you already perceive the pulse of residents of the Evergreen State.

Too Many Taxes Is The Biggest Takeaway

98% of respondents said the economy was either very important or somewhat important, making it far and away the biggest issues among those registered voters.  the economy is impacted in part by taxes which affect the average Joe as well as businesses large and small.

Those added costs incurred by business get passed on to the average Joe...so it's a double whammy for the consumer.  51% combined cited inflation and the economy as their most important issues.  When we get into the impact of taxes, things get a little more stark.

When asked if, generally speaking, taxes are too high, too low, or just right, 42% of voters said much too high while 35% said somewhat too high.  That's a solid 77% that aren't happy.  When factoring the latest round of $9 billion in taxes, that combined number went up to 82%.

The Gas Tax Also Evoked Strong Feelings

The gas tax itself increased by six cents on July 1st, bringing it to just over fifty-nine cents (59.04) per gallon.  That's good for third highest in the U.S.  That's just a piece of what plays into the overall price of a gallon of gas, where Washington State sits as the highest in the U.S. as of this writing.

When asked about the price of gas 62% said it is way too high with 26% saying somewhat too high...88% think we are paying way too much for gas.  Other taxes that either increased or are set to go up were also included.  here is a rundown of the combined number of voters that were strongly or somewhat against the tax:

• Estate Tax Increase - 83% against
• Grocery Store Tax - 80% against (if prices go up 89% want a repeal)
• More taxes in 2026 - 80% are against it

There Were Other Issues Where Voters Strongly Disagreed With The State

Certain social issues also evoked strong reactions from registered voters.  The overwhelming amount of voters believe the State's stance on allowing boys to compete in girl's sports should change, especially if federal funding is at risk.  73% said the policy should change in order to keep federal funding while 70% agree the policy is unfair to girls.

The poll goes through a number of topics including favorability ratings for the Governor, Legislature, and the President.  It also has a 3.5% margin of error.  If you want to review the full poll results, click here.