Citizen action group turns in more than 511,000 signatures to repeal Washington Dems' income tax

Citizen action group Let's Go Washington says it has turned in more than half a million signatures in its effort to repeal Washington Democrats' new income tax, setting the stage for what could become one of the state's biggest political battles this November.

Supporters of the repeal initiative gathered in Tumwater on Thursday alongside business owners, farmers, parents, technology professionals, and community leaders as campaign volunteers delivered petitions to the Secretary of State's Office.

The campaign told the Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI that is was submitting 511,408 signatures, with additional petition sheets still arriving. Organizers said they expect the final total reviewed by election officials to be even higher.

If enough signatures are validated, voters will decide whether to repeal the new tax approved earlier this year by Gov. Bob Ferguson and the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

The proposal has become one of the defining political fights of 2026, coming as concerns continue to grow over Washington's economy, business climate, and state spending.

Let's Go Washington founder Brian Heywood argued the initiative gives voters a chance to weigh in on a tax they were never allowed to approve directly. "We're turning in these signatures for the hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians who didn't get to make their voices heard on the income tax," Heywood said. "

There are three primary problems with this tax: it's unconstitutional and will be passed onto all income earners, it represents spending in Olympia that voters don't trust will be used in their best interest, and it was passed by Bob Ferguson and Jamie Pedersen with the sole purpose of keeping the voters out of the process. We're giving the power back to the people with this initiative and asking them to vote yes to repeal the income tax in November."

Supporters of the repeal have argued that although state leaders have publicly said voters should ultimately decide the issue, legislative Democrats chose to enact the tax themselves rather than send it directly to the ballot.

The signature drive comes amid Washington's dismal fiscal outlook. Ferguson previously acknowledged the state faces significant budget challenges and directed agencies to prepare for what his administration has described as a difficult budget cycle. At the same time, the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council reported that state tax collections have fallen behind projections lawmakers relied upon when passing this year's supplemental budget.

According to Ryan Frost, budget and tax policy director for the Washington Policy Center, major General Fund collections have come in more than $135 million below forecast since February, while employment growth has weakened and the state's unemployment rate has climbed to 5.2 percent, well above the national average.

Supporters of the repeal argue that those numbers reinforce concerns that Washington's increasingly aggressive tax policies are slowing economic growth rather than strengthening state finances.

Campaign supporters also pointed to what they describe as a broader pattern of businesses and employers expanding outside Washington. Starbucks recently announced a $100 million expansion in Nashville, Tennessee, where it plans to move or hire 2,000 workers over the next five years while reducing parts of its Seattle footprint.

Janicki Industries recently selected Montana for an $800 million manufacturing expansion expected to create more than 2,000 jobs, after company leadership cited Washington's regulatory climate as a factor in directing future growth elsewhere.

Other employers, including Meta, Genie Industries, Republic National Distributing Company, Novanta, and Delta Camshaft, have also announced layoffs, relocations, or operational reductions affecting Washington workers.

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz also left Washington for Florida shortly after the income tax was approved. In a subsequent Wall Street Journal op-ed, Schultz warned that Seattle's political leadership increasingly treats business as "the adversary of the public good."

Several speakers at Thursday's event argued the new tax could further accelerate that trend. John Huibregtse, a certified public accountant, farmer, and former chief financial officer for large Washington tree fruit operations, warned the tax could disproportionately affect family farms.

"Farming was one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. But the deck is stacked against small businesses in Washington, especially farmers," Huibregtse said. "Since 2002, more than one in ten family farms in our state has disappeared."

He argued agriculture often operates on razor-thin margins, with profitable years serving to recover from prior losses rather than generating long-term wealth. "This new income tax will take away the first opportunity many family farms have to rebuild after years of hardship."

Business owner Zach Abraham also criticized the measure. "Today, I see a bunch of concerned citizens, tired of the government completely going against the Constitution to pass whatever they want," Abraham said. "I don't want to leave this state, I love it. We're going to stay here, and we're going to fight."

Greg Lane, vice president of the Building Industry Association of Washington, said his organization is already seeing businesses relocate. "Our building industry is actively facing the negative consequences of this income tax; we have members up and leaving the state regularly," Lane said. "This message today that we are sending on this initiative, loud and clear, is that this is not what we want for our state."

The Secretary of State's Office will now begin reviewing and verifying the submitted signatures to determine whether the repeal initiative qualifies for the November ballot. If certified, Washington voters will have the final say on whether to keep or repeal the state's newest income tax.