Matthew Miller

Washington, I know this ballot is confusing as hell. And that is on purpose. Politicians in our state are trying to confuse you becuase they don't believe in democracy. The only reason we get to vote on this is that enough brave people stood up and demanded it. Otherwise, the governor would have signed this into law like the King of England, treating us like serfs with no rights and no power. Well, I won't stand for being tricked, lied to, and treated like a child. Just to be crystal clear, if you vote "Yes," it will repeal the illegal income tax. It will not reduce funding to schools or human services because the tax doesn't go into effect until 2029. So we aren't taking anything away. Starbucks left because of this. Microsoft has threatened to move jobs out of state. Amazon now employs nearly 15,000 fewer people in Seattle than at its peak. Seattle is second to last in the number of VC deals that closed in Q3. Holding a small number of companies and rich people hostage, when they have options, is a foolish strategy that is already backfiring spectacularly. The solution? Reduce taxes on businesses and income. Why even tax people under 25 at all? Give families with children a HUGE tax credit. Make this state an incredible place to do business and have a family. Encourage entrepreneurs to come here. Get startups, agencies, and smart, motivated people to build here. We can increase overall state revenue if more people make stuff, employ people, and create more value for everyone here. Not by chasing them out of the state and creating a hostile environment for business. Remember this: governments and taxes don't make jobs. Entrepreneurs do.