H-1642.4  _______________________________________________

                 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 4405

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Representatives Dunn, Boldt, Carlson and Sump

Read first time 02/16/1999.  Referred to Committee on Finance.

Creating a joint select committee on taxation by Oregon.

    WHEREAS, Many residents of the State of Washington work at jobs located in Oregon; and

    WHEREAS, These workers contribute significantly to the vitality of the Oregon economy; and

    WHEREAS, The states of Washington and Oregon have chosen greatly different tax systems whereby Oregon taxes income and Washington taxes consumption; and

    WHEREAS, Washington residents pay over one hundred million dollars in income tax to Oregon; and

    WHEREAS, Clark County Washington residents pay more in personal income tax to Oregon than do the residents of twenty-nine Oregon counties; and

    WHEREAS, Washington residents working in Oregon must pay taxes to two states:  Income taxes to Oregon and sales taxes to Washington; and

    WHEREAS, The amount of income taxes paid by Washington residents to Oregon greatly exceed the cost of public services they receive from Oregon;

    NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, That a joint select committee on taxation by Oregon be established to review the contribution Washington residents make to the Oregon economy, the amount of taxes paid by Washington residents to Oregon, the overall tax burden for Washington residents who work in Oregon as compared to the tax burden on other Washington residents and Oregon residents, the cost of services provided to Washington residents by Oregon, and constitutional questions regarding the taxation of Washington residents by Oregon; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee consist of eight legislators representing districts bordering Oregon, with four members of the Senate, two from each caucus, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; and four members of the House of Representatives, two from each caucus, to be appointed by the Co-Speakers of the House of Representatives; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Co-Speakers of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate shall designate cochairs of the committee, the expenses of the committee members shall be paid by the legislature under chapter 44.04 RCW, staff support for the committee shall be provided by Senate committee services and House of Representatives office of program research as mutually agreed by the cochairs of the joint select committee, and the committee may also use the research services provided to the legislature by the department of revenue under RCW 82.01.060(4).

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