TAGS: Washington state soda tax, Washington state candy gum tax exemption, Gov. Christine Gregoire, Jay Inslee, National Automatic Merchandising Association, Northwest Automatic Vending Association, vending machine, vending business
OLYMPIA, WA -- Washington's outgoing governor has included a proposal in her final budget to place a new tax on carbonated beverages and repeal the sales tax exemption on all candy and gum.
Gov. Christine Gregoire projects that a 19¢ tax per fluid ounce on carbonated beverage tax would generate $57 million. The sales tax exemption on candy and gum would yield an estimated $69 million.
The National Automatic Merchandising Association emphasized that with Gov. Gregoire's term ending this month, her budget only represents her final recommendations. Governor-elect Jay Inslee has made clear that he is not interested in new taxes, and there does not appear to be any momentum building with the incoming governor or in the Legislature behind the tax proposals.
NAMA and the Northwest Automatic Vending Association said they are working closely to continue to monitor Gregoire's proposals and to prevent them from moving further in the legislative arena. Gregoire held the state's top official post for eight years.
