⚠️ Hearing Analysis

The Ignored Voices of Opposition

WA State Income Tax Bill — ESSB 6346

The public showed up overwhelmingly against the income tax. The legislature heard what they wanted to hear. Here's the data.

House Hearing — ESSB 6346

The Numbers Tell the Story

At every stage of public input, opposition was overwhelming. At every stage, it was filtered down.

📋 Public Sign-Ins

90%

Opposed

CON

100K+

PRO

~11K

📝 Written Testimony

91.7%

Opposed

CON

2,770

PRO

252

The Testimony Funnel

How Opposition Was Filtered Out

285 people signed up to testify. Watch what happens at each stage.

285

Signed up to testify

▼

189

Were opposed (66%)

▼

Were allowed to speak

▼

Were opponents who got to speak

🚫

152

Opponents signed in ready to testify — never got to speak

📉

17.5%

Of CON sign-ups were allowed to testify
(33 of 189)

📊

42.9%

Of speakers were CON — despite being 66% of sign-ups

In Their Own Words

Then They Said This

After limiting testimony from the opposition, legislative leadership explained their process.

"We rely on people who actually come and testify."

— Senator Manka Dhingra

Explaining the legislative process after 152 opponents were denied the chance to testify

"We don't, in that process, pay attention to people who sign in but not testify."

— Senator Jamie Pedersen

Dismissing the 100,000+ people who signed in CON but weren't selected to speak

The Contradiction

Over 100,000 people signed in against this bill. 152 opponents were ready to testify and were denied the opportunity. Then leadership said they only listen to people who "actually come and testify."

They came. They were turned away.
Then told their voice didn't count because they didn't speak.

Senate Hearing

The Senate Wasn't Different

61,000

People signed in CON at the Senate hearing

The pattern repeated. Overwhelming public opposition. The same filtering. The same outcome.

The Bottom Line

The People Spoke. The Legislature Didn't Listen.

When 90% of public sign-ins oppose a bill, when 91.7% of written testimony opposes it, when 152 people show up ready to testify and are turned away — that's not a hearing. That's a performance.

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