Before voters decide in November if households earning over $1 million should face a 9.9% tax increase, a former lawmaker and a union leader will debate the pros and cons of the new law.

The tax is set to take effect in 2028, but that could change next month if voters decide to repeal the law, dubbed the “millionaires tax.”

Former U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler and April Sims, president of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, will face off in an hourlong debate Thursday at 8 p.m. to discuss whether voters should approve Initiative 645, a measure to do away with the tax.

Herrera Beutler will argue in support of the initiative, and Sims will argue against.

The conversation will be moderated by Seattle Times politics reporter Jim Brunner and KING 5 evening news anchor Joyce Taylor.

Supporters of the repeal, backed by Let’s Go Washington, are concerned a “millionaires tax” could launch an exodus of residents and businesses facing mounting pressures from high taxes. Those who want to see it take effect say the funds could be used to pay for a variety of services, like education, prisons and healthcare, while alleviating pressure on Washington’s working families.

A statewide DHM Research poll found that support for Initiative 645 fell sharply when voters saw the legally required ballot language warning that passage “would decrease funding” for public K-12 schools, universities and healthcare: 35% supported repeal, 57% opposed it and 8% were undecided.

Without the budget-impact language, it was much closer, with 40% supporting repeal, 44% opposing it and 16% undecided.

Return to this page or visit st.news/IncomeTaxDebate at 8 p.m. to watch the debate.