The Columbian — Once again, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell is urging Congress to extend the state and local sales tax deduction for Washington residents and seven other states that donât have an income tax.
The sales tax deduction, which expired at the end of December, would allow Washingtonians to deduct sales tax on their federal income tax return. Yesterday, Cantwell and 13 other Senators sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to ask him to make the extension a priority this session.
Cantwell, along with U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and other members of congress, has tried unsuccessfully to make the deduction permanent. Instead, members of Congress from states without an income tax fight for the extension each time it expires.
During a Senate Finance Committee hearing in the nationâs capitol earlier this week, Cantwell expressed her frustration with the process.
âIâm offended when someone thinks that the sales tax deduction which is about equity for states like Washington, and Florida, and South Dakota and others is somehow special,â Cantwell said, adding that the deduction used to be in the tax code. âAnd yet every year we have to play this game about whether or not we are going to have the equity that other states have.â
As one of the most beautiful states in the unionâand one of the richest in natural resourcesâWashington has a special interest in energy and environmental policy. And Maria has fought hard to uphold the stateâs conservation tradition, while also working to bring our energy policy into the 21st century.
Maria knows Washingtonâs business community â because, as an executive at an innovative software company, she was part of it. And as a Senator, sheâs led the way in helping businesses large and small throughout Washington grow, thrive, and create jobs.
Maria has taken a leadership role on safety and security issues, including defending our borders, strengthening our military, cracking down on gangs, and taking on drug crime in Washington communities
Middle-class families around Washington and across the country are facing tough timesâand tough decisions about balancing the family checkbook each month. Maria has fought to strengthen the economic security of Washington families and cut taxes for middle-class families.
