The Blog at MSPC

Over the past decade, Idaho lawmakers steadily reduced the state’s top income tax rate—from 7.4% in 2014 to a flat 5.3% today. Critics warned of budget shortfalls, underfunded services, and fiscal instability. Instead, Idaho is collecting more revenue than ever.

This is a simple case coming down to one question: Do Washingtonians own their income?

This week brought welcome news for many Idaho parents who applied for the inaugural Parental Choice Tax Credit program, which began accepting applications on January 15. The Tax Commission has started notifying applicants by email and Taxpayer Access Point (TAP) portal messaging regarding credit awards.

Let’s start with the basic reality: Idaho is increasing public education spending even as student enrollment levels off or declines.

The growth of Idaho and Montana’s largest counties is not happening in isolation. It is part of a broader rebalancing across the West—one driven by policy, affordability, and opportunity.

As Idaho’s application window for the Parental Choice Tax Credit has come to a close, the final numbers tell a powerful story. We now know the final numbers submitted to the state tax commission by the the March 15 deadline: 6,069 families applied, covering 13,568 students across the state.

Officials should be cautious of a bridge program that may be a “rent-seeking” opportunity for two transit agencies that have seen a decline in their usefulness to the traveling public. Instead, officials should look for practical solutions without light rail to build a new bridge that will last for another 100 years.

The people of Washington must now consider a question once familiar to Americans: what recourse remains when government refuses to listen?

Transparency is high on the list of every politician’s priorities. They should follow them instead of opting to promote a more opaque government that gives unions a massive gift in the form of easy fundraising.

With one single vote, lawmakers have decided to defy legal precedent, blow up the state’s business climate, and deny citizens their right of referendum. A trifecta of bad policy that firmly signals “Choose Washington” is a slogan and strategy of the past.

The reality today is that policymakers are making it increasingly harder to thrive and innovate within the ever-increasing tax and regulatory burden. The numerous economic reports are a loud warning that, unless a course correction is made, more entrepreneurs will be looking elsewhere to do business.

The proposal would raise Idaho’s income tax rate from 5.3% to 5.325% and repeal the Parental Choice Tax Credit — just months after families began applying for it.

We were honored to have Montana Governor Greg Gianforte attend and address the crowd at our policy event in Helena on February 24. Governor Gianforte discussed his plans for the upcoming 2027 Legislative Session, noting that moving the Treasure State to a flat income tax and providing families with more education choice opportunities were among his top priorities.

Whether tariff tax increases are good or bad economic policy, the fact remains that tax increases should be introduced, debated, and voted on by Congress. Major economic policies of any kind should not be imposed by one person unilaterally. This decision by the U.S. Supreme Court upholds and affirms that important check and balance of our republic.

Lawmakers willfully defying a ruling they don’t like in hopes that different judges will change a century of legal precedents, against the backdrop of voters consistently rejecting income tax constitutional amendments, is a recipe for constitutional chaos.

The phrase “render unto Caesar” comes into play here, but politicians should understand that they are to represent the people of Washington state, who have said time and time again that car tabs are just too damn high.

It’s the oldest trick in politics: sell a major policy shift by assuring voters it only targets someone else. Olympia is now running that play with the 9.9 percent “Millionaire Tax.” For those of us who have watched Washington’s spending habits for decades, the warning signs are obvious. The “fair share” narrative depends on intellectual dishonesty—and it’s being used to wedge open the door to a permanent state income tax.

Wyoming legislators are right to address the necessity of upholding the principles of federalism in the 2026 Legislative Session in the form of SJ 2.

Now Washington state legislators want to take this experiment statewide, arguing that a new 3-cent sugar-sweetened beverage tax will improve health outcomes and fight hunger. It sounds noble. It sounds decisive. And it’s deeply disconnected from reality.

Despite Washingtonians consistently and overwhelmingly rejecting income taxes and the legislature in 2024 enacting I-2111 to prohibit state or local income taxes, some lawmakers in the Evergreen State are again pushing for an income tax this year.