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Seattle City Council considers eliminating ‘tampon tax'

By Patranya Bhoolsuwan
By Patranya Bhoolsuwan

SEATTLE — Seattle may be one step closer to slashing the "Tampon Tax."

The Seattle City Council Tuesday requested its budget office compile a report to find out if it's feasible to "exempt" menstrual hygiene products from the city's portion of the sales tax.

Things like tampons and pads that can cost a woman up to $10 to $20 a month before tax.

“This is really about creating an opportunity to have a more equitable tax system,” said councilmember Teresa Mosqueda. “Most users are women being paid .76 cents to a dollar compared to men in King County.”

Nine states already outlawed the tampon tax.

Four of them, New York, Illinois, Connecticut and Florida, made this change within the last two years

State lawmakers attempted a similar effort through a house bill in 2016 but it failed to make it out of committee.

The estimated annual loss of revenue for Washington: About $10 million.

The women we talked to Tuesday said getting rid of this tax is a good idea.

“It’s a necessary item for us. We shouldn’t be punished because we have to take care of ourselves hygienically,” said Camden Murphy.

Danielle Freedman tells us this “Tampon Tax” hits women living in poverty the hardest.

“Just because they can’t afford to buy it. It’s a horrible position to put people into,” said Freedman.

A report by the city’s budget office on this potential tax elimination is due back before the city council on May 15, 2019.

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