Washington to Hire 300 Employees for New High-Earners Income Tax

The state prepares for the 2029 implementation of its new millionaire tax by expanding its Department of Revenue workforce.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 4:39pm

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A vibrant abstract illustration composed of overlapping triangles and rectangles in shades of blue, green, and red, conceptually representing the expansion of government bureaucracy and tax administration.Washington state's major hiring push for its new millionaire income tax signals the administrative complexities of enacting major tax policy changes.Olympia Today

Washington state is planning to hire over 300 new employees at its Department of Revenue to administer a new income tax on millionaires that will go into effect in 2029. The agency will start funding these new positions in the upcoming fiscal year, with the majority of the hires directly supporting the implementation and administration of the new high-earners tax.

Why it matters

The new income tax on high-earners is a significant policy change for Washington, which has long been one of the few states without a state income tax. The hiring of hundreds of new government employees to support this new tax reflects the administrative complexity and resources required to enact such a major tax reform.

The details

According to the Department of Revenue spokesperson Mikhail Carpenter, the agency will hire over 300 new employees by 2030 to handle the work required under the new tax law. This includes 131 positions directly tied to administering the millionaire tax, as well as 106 employees to support the expansion of the state's Working Families Tax Credit. The total estimated cost for the new employee wages is around $45 million for the 2029-2031 budget cycle.

  • The new income tax on high-earners will go into effect in 2029.
  • Funding for the new Department of Revenue positions will start on July 1, 2026 with the beginning of the new fiscal year.

The players

Mikhail Carpenter

Spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Revenue.

Washington Department of Revenue

The state agency responsible for administering and collecting taxes, including the new income tax on high-earners.

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What they’re saying

“Filling those positions — whether by moving existing employees or by hiring new workers — will happen over several years.”

— Mikhail Carpenter, Spokesperson

What’s next

The Department of Revenue will continue hiring and training employees over the next several years in preparation for the 2029 implementation of the new high-earners income tax.

The takeaway

Washington's decision to enact a new income tax on millionaires will require a significant investment in expanding the state's tax administration capabilities, highlighting the operational complexities involved in major tax policy changes.