Economic Opportunity Institute

09/28/2026

"People who don’t know much about Washington politics would assume we have a highly progressive tax code. The reality is, we have a tax code written in the course of a couple of months in the 1930s," our Executive Director Rian Watt told The New York Times.

Now, it's time for a historic shift.

We have one of the most regressive tax codes in the country. For 94 years, we've relied on the lowest earners to pay the greatest share of their income in taxes to keep our state running.

The Millionaires Tax is an opportunity to sustain and expand essential state services that make life more affordable for everyday people while beginning to address the inequities baked into our tax system.

Read more:

Washington State voters will get a chance to accept or reject the 9.9 percent income tax on millionaires approved by the Legislature, which broke the state’s taboo against levying income taxes.

09/28/2026

The WA Cares Fund provides working Washingtonians a way to earn access to long-term care benefits that will be available when they need them. Benefits are available now. Learn about the program by joining our upcoming webinar, WA Cares basics, from 10-11 a.m. on Oct. 6. We will cover how the program works, how to qualify for benefits and more.

Register for the webinar today: https://bit.ly/4xmIVUy

08/27/2026

We know Washington state’s taxes require too little of those with the highest incomes. Our research has also shown that state spending has grown far more slowly than the overall economy given the number of people served. Relative to the size of the state’s economy and the number of people served, Washington’s general fund spending has declined substantially over the past 30 years.

The Millionaires Tax can change that. Read more: https://opportunityinstitute.org/blog/post/millionaires-tax-washington-state-spending-budget/

08/24/2026

Earlier this month, our Executive Director, Rian Watt, was featured on KING 5 to share the NO on I-645 campaign.

The message is clear: Washington state's tax code is fundamentally unfair.

08/20/2026

There is so much more to see from our summer road trips. This was from earlier in the season, as part of the team continued through the Tri-Cities.

08/04/2026

WA Cares benefits are available now. You can create a benefits account at https://bit.ly/4gbuNHY and apply today.

To get started, you will fill out a brief online application. Applicants or caregivers can also call 844-CARE4WA to have a WA Cares team member guide them through the online application or apply over the phone.

07/16/2026

Incredible!!!

This is a win for the care workforce, for anti-racism, and for better working conditions for more people.

07/15/2026

WA Cares is an essential benefit that helps families keep their savings and prevents people from falling into poverty when they need care.

We've been advocating for a program like this for years and are proud to see it come to reality.

On Wednesday, Washington state began offering benefits to help people pay for services not usually covered by insurance, such as a home care aide or safety features.

07/15/2026

I-645 would wrongly overturn WA's Millionaires Tax. If it passes, it will give a tax cut to people who make more than $1 million/year, prevent working families and small businesses from getting important tax credits, and blow a $13 billion hole in funding for essential services like childcare, and K-12 education.

We endorse the NO on I-645 campaign.

07/13/2026

We have more proof that taxing the rich, even just a little bit more compared to the rest of us, actually works. The state collected $1.53 🅱️ILLION in capital gains revenue, tripling the previous year's collections.

The number of payers continues to steadily rise, showing a clear connection that increasing taxes on the wealthiest people and corporations in our state makes our communities stronger.