A few years and a relevant college degree later, I get to travel around Washington state to meet with people living on low incomes. I hear about families’ dreams of having just a little money – enough to have the freedom to pursue a career that feels exciting, help a loved one facing illness, or care for their kids.

Unfortunately, most benefits systems are confusing, time-consuming and still not enough to make ends meet. We have pathways that are meant to help people out of poverty – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, basic income pilots and tax credits for working families – but we are unwilling to invest in the infrastructure that would make those pathways effective. You start down a pathway and end up getting stuck in the middle because the bridge washes out.

“We have pathways that are meant to help people out of poverty … but we are unwilling to invest in the infrastructure that would make those pathways effective. You start down a pathway and end up getting stuck in the middle because the bridge washes out.”

~Molly Gallagher, Poverty Action Policy Lead

Right now, our state lawmakers must choose whether to take down even more of these bridges, or ask the people who are insulated by wealth to pony up a little bit to care for their neighbors.

Washington is generally a progressive state, which often leads to the misconception that we are progressive when it comes to taxes and wealth.

Most people don’t realize that it’s just your taxes that are high. Our state has the second most upside-down tax code in the nation, where the wealthiest are paying a much lower rate than the lowest-income. In the state of Microsoft and Amazon, we have let broad income inequality grow without asking those who can afford it to pay their share.

However, Washingtonians are coming together to demand progressive revenue. We gave lawmakers a mandate at the ballot box this fall by supporting the capital gains tax, which funds schools and child care through a tax paid by a few thousand multimillionaires. Now, lawmakers face the same easy choice that voters made in November: Slash budgets for teachers and social programs, or pass the progressive proposals on the table.

Severe cuts would devastate families, and still not make up the amount we need. This would be a cruel thing to do when we have a simple alternative that would not inflict any harm on anyone.

“Around Washington, I see many, many people whose belts are already as tight as they can go. The first thing that actual people in poverty do in a budget crisis is not cut off food for their kids. They look for additional sources of income, and would never turn down a well-paying job when it’s offered.”

~Molly Gallagher, Poverty Action Policy Lead

Progressive tax proposals like the wealth tax and Affordable Homes Act ask a small number of people to pay a tiny amount of what they are making, but would have a drastic impact.

Not only do progressive taxes allow us to reduce the regressive taxes that most people in Washington pay, but they empower lawmakers to fund good proposals that carry a big price tag. These include reforms like increasing TANF to keep up with cost of living, expanding the Working Families Tax Credit, or funding a statewide Guaranteed Basic Income pilot.

Washington has seen what drastic cuts look like. State legislators also chose cuts during the 2011 recession, and many programs like TANF have yet to recover.

Lots of people in power, from Department of Government Efficiency billionaires to our otherwise-progressive new governor, love to defend cuts by evoking the image of a family “tightening their belts.” Around Washington, I see many, many people whose belts are already as tight as they can go. The first thing that actual people in poverty do in a budget crisis is not cut off food for their kids. They look for additional sources of income, and would never turn down a well-paying job when it’s offered. Lawmakers in Washington must learn from the mistakes of the past, and pass progressive revenue now.

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