SPOKANE -- Right now in Olympia lawmakers are getting an earful about a proposed bill that would let Washington voters decide about whether or not the state needs an income tax.

The state is currently trying to close a $2.7 Billion budget gap but the Washington Policy Center says the bill is only intended to create a more stable source of income for the state and it would have little impact on the state deficit.

Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown of Spokane supports a bill that would impose the tax on the state's richest people.

“This proposal could bring in as much as 600 to 800 million dollars per year. That’s what allows us to say lets roll back the sales tax we are considering,” Senator Brown said.

The bill proposed by Brown would impose a 4.5-percent income tax on individuals who earn $200,000 or more, heads of households that earn $300, 000 and married couples that earn $400,000.

In addition the bill would also decrease sales tax by about one cent.

“This allows us to keep our commitment to schools and seniors but keep an opportunity for more fairness in our tax system,” Brown said.

The bill is not being marked as a solution to the state’s $2.7 Billion budget gap but as a way to even up other taxes in the state. For example no matter what you make we all pay the same amount of sales tax.

“We’re balancing a state budget on the backs of those people who really can't afford it we need to change that and make it more fair,” Don Barbieri, chairman of the board for Red Lion Hotels Corporation, said.

Barbieri says his income would make him subject to the proposed income tax but he thinks imposing a state income tax on high earners is a good idea.

“It’s a discussion we should have we should debate it and let the voters decided it but I applaud moving forward with the concept,” he said.

The Washington Policy Center says not having an income tax is one of Washington's selling points and if this passes the state risks losing their high paid workers.

“We’re one of only a handful of states that doesn't have a state income tax and that’s a competitive advantage when we are trying to get high income workers to come to Washington State,” Chris Cargill with the Washington Policy Center said.

The bill has to be passed in legislature before the session ends next week and then if passed it would go before the voters in November.