State plan considers tax hike on beer, candy
"It took a while, but Washington lawmakers have turned to beer.
A tripling in the tax on major-label beers emerged Monday as a lubricant that might help the Legislature complete an $800 million tax package and ease out of Olympia by early next week.
The Senate Democrats’ new proposal raises nearly $58 million from a higher beer tax and about $29 million more by adding the sales tax to candy and gum sales. But it raises another $90 million more by imposing a smaller tenth-of-a-penny increase in the sales tax than previously considered, which is a stumbling block for the House and Gov. Chris Gregoire."