We believe a just and equitable King County takes more than generous giving. It takes changing the systems that shape our communities.
SVP’s mission is to reimagine philanthropy by centering Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Communities of Color to create a just and equitable King County. Reimagining philanthropy means giving your time, talent, treasure, and ties. It also means using your voice and our collective power to advance systems and policies that support justice and racial equity.
That’s why SVP created the Advocacy Task Force.
Made up of SVP Partners and board members, the task force recommends policy priorities for SVP’s consideration, identifies potential coalition partners, and considers where SVP can make a meaningful contribution to issues affecting BIPOC communities in King County. Together, we equip Partners to learn, speak up, and act.
Why We’re Starting With Washington’s Tax System
Who pays taxes, and how much, shapes both families’ financial security and the resources available for public services. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy’s 2024 analysis ranked Washington’s state and local tax system as the second most regressive in the nation: the lowest-income fifth paid an estimated 13.8% of their income in taxes, compared with 4.1% for the wealthiest 1%.
The Advocacy Task Force chose to begin with tax policy because decisions about how we fund education, health care, and child care affect communities throughout King County. Who bears those costs, and whether communities have the resources they need, are questions directly connected to SVP’s mission to advance justice and racial equity.
Our First Focus: Funding for Children and Families
This year, SVP joined Balance Our Tax Code (BOTC), a statewide coalition of nonprofits, labor unions, and advocacy organizations working toward a fairer Washington tax system. Joining the coalition connects SVP with organizations focused on how revenue reform can advance justice and equity in our communities.
During the 2026 legislative session, BOTC supported legislation establishing a Millionaires Tax on taxable income above $1 million. Passed by the Legislature and signed into law, the legislation pairs the new tax with investments in children and families and tax relief for qualifying households and small businesses. These provisions include funding for school meals and child care, expanded eligibility for the Working Families Tax Credit, small-business tax relief, and sales-tax exemptions for essentials such as diapers. The income tax is scheduled to begin in 2028.
Those policy decisions now come before voters. On November 3, Washington voters will consider Initiative 645, which would repeal the Millionaires Tax and prohibit state and local taxes on, or measured by, individual income. A yes vote would enact the repeal and those prohibitions; a no vote would leave the enacted law in place.
The Advocacy Task Force has been learning about Initiative 645 and what it would mean for public funding. We believe the Millionaires Tax supports SVP’s mission by helping fund education, health care, and child care for communities throughout King County.
Interested in learning more or getting involved? Contact melaniem@svpseattle.org.
Make Your Voice Heard Before November 3
- Learn about the initiative. Review the official voters’ pamphlet, including the measure’s fiscal analysis and arguments for and against it, through VoteWA.gov.
- Check your registration. Register or update your address online by October 26. Mailed registrations must be received by that date. You can also register in person at a voting center until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- Return your ballot. Mail it early or place it in an official ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on November 3.