Task force may revive 2 unpopular taxes to fund state parks
OLYMPIA — A task force appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee wants to revive two unpopular taxes to help finance the state’s park system and promote its outdoor recreation industry.
The panel wants to bring back the sales tax on bottled water and the excise tax on motor homes and travel trailers to generate money to keep parks open.
Some dollars also would fund new initiatives in the Department of Commerce to put outdoor recreation on equal footing with aerospace, maritime and other major business sectors of the state’s economy.
