Some of Washington state’s biggest companies like Amazon and Microsoft will soon pay higher taxes to fund higher education.
The money will primarily go to funding full tuition scholarships for students with families that make less than $50,000 a year. Students like University of Washington junior Bailey Griffin.
"My high school didn't offer chemistry, calculus, or physics. I knew it was going to be a challenge and affording college, in general, was going to be a big one,” the engineering student said.
The 20-year-old is now living in a city 400 times the size of her hometown of Oroville, Washington. The small town near the Canadian border doesn't have the biggest economy and isn't known for turning out engineering students.
Griffin said he aunt Janie was her inspiration.
"She loved her job and people where I grew up didn't have the opportunities to pursue careers they loved,” she explained.
She is currently working part-time to help pay the college bills while seeking her degree.
Stories like Griffin's were a driving force behind the big change in the Washington state legislature when it passed House Bill 2158. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Drew Hansen (D-Bainbridge Island), increases business and occupation taxes on Amazon and Microsoft by 66 percent.
Amazon actually cheered the tax hike, calling it a “positive step forward for Washington state.”
“We have a long history of supporting local education through levies, gifts to higher education around computer science, and our Amazon Future Engineer program. We welcomed the constructive dialogue on HB 2158 and are supportive of the outcome that delivers increased funding for higher education in Washington State," said Amazon spokesperson Aaron Toso.
Griffin believes the funding will allow her to finish her engineering degree and spend more time preparing for her post-college career.
"I know having this bill helps me show more kids from my hometown that college can really be a reality," Griffin said. "Other students from Oroville seeing, ‘hey, here is someone where I'm from who made this happen, who is making this work for her.’"
The legislature believes the Workforce Education Investment Act will raise $1.5 billion for higher education between now and 2025. Smaller tech companies will pay a smaller percentage of B&O taxes than the two corporate behemoths.
The bill is waiting for Governor Jay Inslee's signature.
