A couple of big names in the state’s battle to protect girls sports and to overturn the state’s new income tax were guests Wednesday night at a fundraiser for Clark County Future 42.
Brandi Kruse, podcast host and independent journalist, shared some of her personal experiences of the past two months as she pursued the story of a transgender athlete competing in girls cross country — right here in Clark County. She also reminded guests that she has been in this fight for years.
Last week’s election, with the passing of Initiative 638, was a victory, she said, for girls sports.
Meanwhile, Rob McKenna, former state attorney general, gave an update on a lawsuit trying to stop the implementation of the state’s new income tax. He believes the new tax goes against the state’s constitution.
Future 42 is part of Project 42, a nonprofit organization created to change the course of Washington state to prioritize free markets, personal liberty, and an individual’s right to prosper, according to its website. It is named for Washington being the 42nd state in the union.
Clark County Future 42 was launched in 2025 to advocate for local policy solutions.
Kruse was in Battle Ground at the event Wednesday as the master of ceremonies for the fundraiser.
She opened with a story about parents of cross country runners who learned about Initiative 638 late in the process.
“They had never heard of me before. They didn’t watch my show. They didn’t even know there was an initiative on the ballot to protect girls' sports,” Kruse recalled. “All of a sudden, they were freakin’ in the fight. They were protesting. They were calling their elected officials. They were picketing. … They were wearing T-shirts. They were raising holy hell.
“We went from having these people who weren’t activated politically at all to all of a sudden being your dream citizen, more activated and involved than ever before.”
That gave the cause so much help, Kruse said. The state passed the initiative by almost 12 points. Clark County passed it by 21 points.
“What happened in that blue state? That blue state passed that initiative — one of the bluest places on earth, by 11 percentage points,” Kruse said.
That should give people hope.
“If we can pass that initiative in the state of Washington, we can pass any damn well thing we please,” she said.
However, it takes time to make changes. And it takes a plan.
Let’s face it, she said, most of the other results from the November election did not go as hoped. And she reminded folks of one of the mottos of Future 42. Stay and fight.
“I am not going anywhere. I’m going to fight this fight as long as it freakin’ takes,” Kruse said. “I’m only 38. I’ve got at least 50 years left to do this work.”
The topic moved to income tax. Voters did vote to keep the plan that was approved by the legislature earlier this year, but McKenna believes the language with the initiative was unfair to voters.
Plus, his group filed a lawsuit against the tax long before the election. He outlined why he believed the income tax is against the state constitution. McKenna had planned to be in Battle Ground in person, but he was called away by business. He used a video conference platform to speak to the Future 42 gathering from Texas.
The state supreme court, McKenna said, has ruled that income is property. So if you want an income tax, it must be the same rules as property tax: No higher than 1 percent and uniform.
This new tax is progressive, noting that it will start at residents who earn $1 million or more in a year. (McKenna also pointed out that some Democrats are already encouraging that number to be lowered in the coming years.)
McKenna said that the people of Washington have voted against a progressive income tax four times through the decades, and the court has always ruled that income is property in this state.
As far as the recent vote for the people to say no to the income tax, McKenna said he has a pretty good idea of what happened. The wording was awful.
“It was the first time voters had to vote yes to be a no on income tax,” he said.
Plus, the description pointed out that a yes vote would mean a cut to education funding and more.
How, McKenna asked? The revenue from this tax will not even be collected for years.
“Highly misleading,” McKenna said. “Voters were fooled by it.”
Had voters been asked a simple question, McKenna believes the income tax would not have survived:
“‘Should we have a progressive income tax in Washington State?’ They would have voted no,” he said.
He strongly believes that Washington does not need an income tax to have a healthy state budget. In fact, he noted the budget has grown 150 percent in the past 12 years without an income tax.
“You don’t have to look very far south of Clark County to see what the alternative looks like,” McKenna said. “It looks like Oregon.”
Washington has been a wealthier state than Oregon, in part because of favorable tax laws, he said. That has been the state’s competitive advantage.
He fears that will no longer be the case if the income tax remains.
Still, he is confident in the legal battle.
“All these justices have to do is follow the law,” he said.
Kruse returned to the stage to conclude the program. She said she will always appreciate Project 42 for the organization’s help in a couple of legal matters. Kruse has been under attack from the powers on the other side of the political aisle. Project 42 has been there, side-by-side, and with financial backing, to help Kruse in her battles.
“So much good work is being done,” Kruse said.
For more information on Clark County Future 42, go to: https://future42.org/category/clark-county/
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