Senate pulls sales-tax increase

Budget will not budge with beer tax

A beer tax? You have been in special session for a month and that is what you come up with to solve our budget problems? [“Sales-tax increase off table,” page one, April 8]

But only on major labels — not on microbrews because that would hurt the First Mike’s discretionary spending budget. You cannot be serious.

How about a tax on hair spray and makeup, but only on elected officials? That should be able to raise a tidy sum from just the purchases made by Gov. Chris Gregoire and Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown — although one could argue these purchases would not be discretionary.

— Dan Eich, Olympia