Derided Senate Bill Gives Washington Tax Relief

A much-lampooned Washington, D.C., spending bill, passed Tuesday night, extends through 2014 a series of tax breaks — mainly benefiting big business — but does provide a Christmas present for this Washington. Sen. Maria Cantwell:  “I hope we’ll be here someday when we can get permanent tax fairness into the code.”  (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) The “Tax Increase Prevention Act,” which passed the Senate by a 76-16 vote, allows Washington residents to claim a state and local sales tax deduction on their 2014 federal income tax returns.