Politicians Force Their Hands Into Taxpayer Pockets To Fund Agency That Bombed Audit

A deep-blue Washington county raised taxes on the same day it appointed an inspector general to root out the widely reported fraud from within its’ government spending programs.

King County Council approved a new ordinance on Oct. 6, adding a penny to every $100 in taxable purchases, Seattle Red reported. The new sales tax sends revenue into a program managed by the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) — the same department that’s been under fire for reported fraud and funding mismanagement over the past year, requiring a new Inspector General Division.

The county was allowed to pass this ordinance because of Washington state’s Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2442. Democratic lawmakers passed the bill in February in a party-line vote, allowing counties to impose the 0.01 percent tax by ordinance.

“The bill is the result of an unfortunate situation that many county governments find themselves in from large budgetary restraints on funds from the state and federal level,” Democratic Washington state Rep. Shaun Scott, an avowed socialist and one of the legislation’s sponsors, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Our primary focus is not on what funds are spent towards. It’s on giving communities authority to provide basic services.”

However, Republicans who opposed the legislation that greenlighted King County’s tax increase disagree. Republican Washington state Rep. Chris Corry suggested to the DCNF that the Democratic-backed bill removed taxpayer protections.

“Washington state has had a long history of having vote requirements to be able to raise taxes,” Corry told the DCNF. “It’s a protection measure and an accountability measure for those elected.”

The DCHS did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment. The King Council did not provide a comment on the record by time of publication.

Corry added that the legislation increases the size and scope of government without accountability or restrictions and puts the burden on local government.

“It’s not fair to our city councils or counties to have to pay those taxes and is a poor way to govern,” he said. “It’s making it less transparent for raising taxes and covering up the negative impacts the state is putting on city and local governments by just telling them to go tax.”