BILL REQ. #:  H-2770.1 

Read first time .   Referred to .

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, Tax fairness between Washington and Oregon is a major issue which impacts the lives of over 60,000 Washington residents who work in Oregon and pay Oregon income tax; and
     WHEREAS, These same Washington residents also pay Washington state sales tax, in effect, paying taxes twice, while Oregon residents are exempt from Washington sales tax; and
     WHEREAS, Requiring Washington residents working in Oregon to pay Oregon income tax is taxation without representation since these residents cannot vote in Oregon, nor do they have any say as to how their tax dollars are spent; and
     WHEREAS, In 2001 Senator Don Benton sponsored Senate Joint Memorial 8008, which passed unanimously, creating a joint committee between Washington and Oregon to address tax fairness issues; and
     WHEREAS, The state of Oregon has ignored the unanimously passed Joint Memorial and refused to come to the negotiating table; and
     WHEREAS, Senator Maria Cantwell and Representative Brian Baird have introduced the Nonresident Income Tax Freedom Act of 2005, which would prohibit a state from imposing a discriminatory tax on income earned within the state by nonresidents of the state; and
     WHEREAS, This act would remedy the unfair taxation of Washington State residents who work in Oregon and Idaho;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully request that Congress pass the Nonresident Income Tax Freedom Act of 2005.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.