'Seattle News Weekly': Millionaires tax, national constitutional debates
'Seattle News Weekly S1E33': WA millionaires tax facing challenges
On this episode of the Seattle News Weekly podcast, FOX 13's Erin Mayovsky and Shawn Chitnis discuss recent Republican challenges mounting against Washington's newly passed millionaires tax, as well as recent high-profile Supreme Court hearings on birthright citizenship and mail-in voting. Lastly, they discuss FIFA World Cup, just 70 days away!
SEATTLE - Political scrutiny has reared its head on both national and local levels this week, with fiscal policies in Olympia and constitutional debates on an executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship.
On this episode of the "Seattle News Weekly" podcast, FOX 13 Seattle Anchor Erin Mayovsky and Reporter Shawn Chitnis dive into these topics.
Keep reading to learn what was discussed and how you can listen.
WA's millionaires tax
What they're saying:
The hosts open the episode with the newly signed 9.9% tax on annual earnings over $1 million, set to begin in 2028. Shawn shares his report from earlier this week in Olympia on the polarized reactions: supporters highlight funding for school lunches and childcare, while critics argue it violates the state constitution’s stance on income as property.
Notable concerns include a potential "trickle-down" effect where the tax threshold could be lowered in the future, and warnings from Seahawks GM John Schneider that the tax might make Seattle less attractive to professional athletes.
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Washington enacts ‘millionaires tax,’ faces swift legal challenge and possible ballot fight
Governor Bob Ferguson has signed the so-called "millionaires tax" into law, setting up an immediate legal and political battle over the state’s first personal income tax.
Birthright citizenship challenges
The conversation shifts to President Trump’s executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship. They review recent Supreme Court oral arguments, noting Trump was the first sitting president to attend such a hearing.
They share clips of legal experts Andrew Siegel and Paul Gautier weighing in, predicting the Court will likely rule against the President (potentially 7-2), as the 14th Amendment is considered settled law. However, they acknowledge the minority legal view that the amendment shouldn't apply to children of unauthorized immigrants.
Mail-in voting restrictions
The hosts discuss the Democratic-led lawsuits blocking an executive order aimed at restricting mail-in ballots.
Washington, a state proud of its mail-in system, faces concerns over a proposed federal "eligible voter list."
Critics argue this targets rural voters and lacks evidence of widespread fraud, while proponents of the order suggest it is necessary for election integrity.
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Trump signs order aiming to create national voter list, limit mail-in voting
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order that aims to create a list of verified eligible voters in each state in a bid to add further restrictions to voting ahead of this year’s midterm elections.
FIFA World Cup and contentious Iran decision
With the World Cup only 70 days away, the hosts celebrate the "Cascadia" connection between Seattle and Vancouver games.
A major talking point is the tension regarding Iran’s participation; despite safety concerns cited by the administration, FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed Iran will play.
The segment concludes with a look at the economic impact—which has been adjusted down from $929 million to $848 million—and a "plug" for the FIFA trophy’s upcoming appearance at FOX 13 Seattle.
Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible or YouTube.
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