Washington state should remedy sales-tax drain from exempt Canadian shoppers

"WHATCOM County officials plan to challenge state government officials' interpretation of existing state law that qualifies British Columbia residents for an exemption from Washington state's sales tax.

At least $3 million and perhaps as much as $5 million in county and city revenues are at stake. Predictions of significant sales increases to B.C. residents, which could partly blunt the impact of the change, are highly overstated. Quick and simple action by the Washington Legislature can pre-empt the impending damage to local governments, which are already reeling from recession-induced revenue declines."