Who Controls Washington's Wallet? | The Supreme Court & Washington's Biggest Fiscal Cases

Some of the most consequential decisions in Washington Supreme Court history had nothing to do with criminal law or free speech. They involved money — who collects it, who spends it, and who gets the final word when government institutions disagree. In this video, we trace nearly a century of Washington constitutional law through four landmark fiscal cases: 🗳️ Heywood v. Hobbs (2026) — The millionaires' tax decision that blocked the People's referendum and left a 9.9% income tax on households earning over $1 million shielded from a public vote — and left the constitutional question of whether that tax is even lawful for another day. 🏛️ Culliton v. Chase (1932) — The income tax case that shaped Washington tax policy for generations and left the State without critical revenue during the Great Depression 📚 McCleary v. State (2012) — The education funding decision that put the Legislature on "probation" and nearly doubled the K-12 budget from $13 billion to $26 billion 🚗 Garfield County v. State (2020) — How the Supreme Court struck down the voter-approved $30 car tabs initiative under the single-subject rule — and the constitutional question it never answered 💰 Quinn v. State (2022) — The capital gains tax decision and whether "income" is "property" under the Washington Constitution These cases involve different constitutional provisions and different legal theories — but they all raise the same fundamental question: Who controls Washington's wallet? The Legislature? The People? Or the Courts? This video is for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as promises about any future case. ________________________________________ ⚖️ Karim Merchant is a Washington State constitutional attorney with over 18 years of trial experience and a candidate for Washington State Supreme Court. 🔔 Subscribe for more videos on constitutional law, civics, and how government is supposed to work.