Sin Taxes? We're Gonna Need a Bigger Sinner

A joyful "Gum Wall" courtesy of SunBreak Flickr pool member lwestcoat

Governor Gregoire has come up with a few ways to raise an easy $605 million: sin taxes. The Olympian says she'd put "new levies on toxic materials that include refined oil, and on bottled-water, carbonated beverages, cigarettes, candy, and gum."

I suppose the tax on toxics like oil qualifies as a sin tax. (We're getting very moral about the environment these days.) In any event, it brings in the most money, about $215 million, mostly from Washington refineries. Putting a sales tax on candy and gum, the Seattle Times says, brings in just $28 million.

You'd think $600 million added up to real money, but the state has a $2.8 billion deficit forecast for 2010 and 2011. Gov. Gregoire is hoping to talk the federal government out of over $400 million, but that still leaves quite a shortfall.