There is a battle brewing in Olympia. Again.

After the Court of Appeal’s ruled that Seattle’s income tax was illegal, Senator Steve O’Ban warned that the Seattle-dominated majority in the legislature will push again for a state income tax.

O’Ban also announced that he will pre-file a bill for the 2020 legislative session to reinforce the ban on local income taxes.

In case you missed it, the court ruled unanimously against Seattle’s income tax, declaring it unconstitutional.

“Washingtonians have voted down an income tax over and over,” said O’Ban. “But the majority party keeps pushing for one under the guise that it will target the rich.”

O’Ban said a new state income tax would not just target the rich but would eventually apply to everyone.

“And it wouldn’t replace other taxes,” said O’Ban. “It would be on top of other taxes. The majority party’s thirst for more money means they will litigate and legislate at every possible opportunity to get an income tax.”

Senator O’Ban said Attorney General Bob Ferguson should step in.

“If he doesn’t,” said O’Ban. “We should be very concerned that he seems to pick and choose which state laws he will defend based on his own political agenda. The state is his client and he should represent the state’s interest by defending the constitutionality of the law.”

In the last few years, Attorney General Bob Ferguson has refused to defend state law in the courts, despite countless legislators making the case on how it would be in the State’s interest to do so.

In his letter to the Attorney General, O’Ban called Ferguson’s previous decision “incompatible” with his duty.

“I hope he doesn’t make the same mistake this time as he’s made on other issues,” said O’Ban.