Initiative Seeks to Tax Gay Couples Equally

By Advocate.com Editors

Backers of an initiative to tax the income of Washington state's top earners want to ensure that registered domestic partners are also taxed at the same rate as married heterosexual couples. 

Initiative 1077 would institute a tax for couples making more than $400,000 per year, or individuals earning $200,000 annually, according to the Associated Press. The initiative was filed with the secretary of state's office on Friday, by a group including the father of Microsoft's Bill Gates. 

The language of the bill was adjusted to accommodate gay and lesbian registered couples. The initial language may not have treated same-sex couples equally, subjecting one partner who earns more than $200,000