June 11, 2025
In this issue:
- Lu Hill: In final budget, legislators missed opportunities to better invest in Spokane and the state
- Trump’s big, beautiful bill, explained in 5 charts
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom is floating a federal tax boycott. Here’s what to know.
- House Republican tax bill favors the rich — how much they stand to gain, and why
It seems like every day there’s a new shocking headline from across the country. Just in the last week, Elon Musk and President Donald Trump had an explosive falling out over the disastrous “One Big Beautiful Bill” that the GOP is trying to push through Congress. You might remember this bill as the one that would cut hundreds of billions from Medicaid, stripping access to lifesaving medication, medical procedures, and care from more than tens of thousands of Washingtonians.
We’ll be candid. In its current form, this bill would be devastating for nearly everyone in our state. By slashing vital funding for food, health care, and other services, Trump’s bill will force Washingtonians to choose between more state taxes and seeing their neighbors suffer. If you agree we can’t let that happen, then who should pay? We say the super-rich should pay, but they are the ones benefiting most from Trump’s massive tax cuts for billionaires and mega-millionaires.
The bill is currently headed to the U.S. Senate, and it may still have to go back to the House for another vote, so we have a chance to make a difference right now. Congressmen Dan Newhouse (Yakima) and Michael Baumgartner (Spokane) were the only Congressmembers in Washington state to vote for this backwards bill the first time. Can we count on you to take action – no matter where you are in the state – using our action link to make clear to your Representatives that you don’t support slashing benefits just to give the super rich another handout.
Thank you!
-Treasure
LU HILL: IN FINAL BUDGET, LEGISLATORS MISSED OPPORTUNITIES TO BETTER INVEST IN SPOKANE AND THE STATE
Midway through the session, it was awesome to see legislators propose so many bold new revenue options that would have ensured that corporations and ultrawealthy people actually pay their share in taxes. If all the proposals had passed, it would have protected programs and services and gone a long way to address the inequities in our tax code. It is also what working people are asking for.
But the pushback from special interests representing hugely profitable corporations and multimillionaires and billionaires was swift. We saw slick lobbying and marketing campaigns against these commonsense tax proposals, led by rich corporate executives and shareholders who prioritized wealth- and power-hoarding over community wellbeing. And our new governor threatened to veto many of these commonsense proposals.
More – Lu Hill, TheSpokesman-Review
TRUMP’S BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL, EXPLAINED IN 5 CHARTS
Under the tax cuts passed by Trump during his first term, the top 1 percent of earners saw the most significant gains, both in dollar amounts and as a percentage of their incomes.
This time is no different. Top earners will again profit significantly from the House spending bill, according to the CBO. The lowest earners, meanwhile, will see their household resources shrink, primarily due to reduced access to public benefits programs such as Medicaid and SNAP and higher ACA insurance premiums.
CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM IS FLOATING A FEDERAL TAX BOYCOTT. HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW.
As tensions escalate between California and the Trump administration over immigration, another potential battlefront is emerging over taxes.
The spat began with reports that the Trump administration is considering cutting funding for California’s university system, the largest higher education system in the nation with about 12% of all U.S. enrolled students. In response, Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote Friday afternoon in a social media post that California provides about $80 billion more in taxes to the federal government than it receives in return.
“Maybe it’s time to cut that off, @realDonaldTrump,” Newsom said.
HOUSE GOP TAX BILL FAVORS THE RICH – HOW MUCH THEY STAND TO GAIN, AND WHY
There’s a stark contrast between the effects on high earners and those on low-income households in a sprawling legislative package House Republicans passed Thursday.
The bulk of the financial benefits in the legislation — called the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — would flow to the wealthiest Americans, courtesy of tax-cutting measures such as those for business owners, investors and homeowners in high-tax areas, experts said.
However, low earners would be worse off, they said. That’s largely because Republicans partially offset those tax cuts — estimated to cost about $4 trillion or more — with reductions to social safety net programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.
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