03/12/2026
CCT Planning oversees the Tribes Economic Plan, and we can provide some insight into how proposed policies may impact our communities.
Presently, the Washington State Legislature is currently considering a proposal that would apply a 9.9% tax to household income above $1 million per year. Income below $1 million would not be taxed under the proposal.
For context, incomes at that level are extremely rare in North Central Washington. Median household income in Okanogan County is roughly $60,000–$63,000, while Ferry County is about $55,000–$56,000. The proposed $1 million threshold is therefore roughly 16–18 times higher than the typical household income in our region.
Based on regional income patterns, the number of households locally that would ever report more than $1 million in annual income is extremely small. In Ferry County (about 3,000 households), most years likely see zero to three households crossing that threshold. In Okanogan County (about 17,000 households), estimates suggest roughly 20–60 households in a strong year, often due to one-time events such as selling land, selling a business, or investment gains rather than ongoing salaries.
Labor force statistics also illustrate how different our regional economy is compared with large metropolitan areas. Labor force participation in Okanogan County is about 55–56%, and about 50–52% in Ferry County. When combined with typical unemployment rates of about 5–7%, this means that roughly half of the adult population in these counties is not currently participating in the workforce at any given time.
Many households rely on fixed income, seasonal work, retirement income, or public sector employment rather than high annual salaries.
Local economies across the Colville Reservation and surrounding counties are primarily based on agriculture, forestry, tourism, tribal government employment, and small businesses. Wealth in these sectors is often tied to land, equipment, or businesses rather than large annual income streams.
Because of these economic characteristics, the proposed tax would likely have very limited direct impact on households in the Colville Reservation region. Most households affected by the proposal would likely be located in larger metropolitan areas of Washington where there are higher concentrations of very high-income earners.
The proposal remains under consideration by the Legislature, and the final policy may change as the legislative process continues.
