Martial Arts Supporters, ...ughhh...potential bad news... ...we reported 5 days ago that we were able to get sales tax on martial arts instruction removed starting October 1, 2017.... ...we just received some insider news that the Governor is being urged to veto ALL the 'tax preference' related items in the budget including martial arts! We are asking everyone to send a message to Governor Inslee urging him NOT to veto the martial arts tax repeal. We need to make sure he understands how this has affected families depending on a healthy martial arts school for their children and to learn self defense training in particular. Tell your story or state your opinion respectfully and honestly. We worked really hard to get this far so cast our community in the best light. Key Points 1. This is NOT a tax preference. It simply RESTORES martial arts to taxation as a SERVICE as it always was prior to January 2016. 2. Martial arts schools are NOT health clubs or athletic or fitness facilities. This mistaken definition caused all these problems and was fixed this year. 3. We are SCHOOLS teaching a skill or art not just exercise. The bill this year created CONSISTENCY with other specialty, instruction based educational businesses like dance, ballet, gymnastics and yoga. 4. The VAST MAJORITY of martial arts participants are children not MMA fighters. Parents don't send their kids to martial arts schools for exercise or to play games! They send them so they can stand up to bullies and gain confidence, focus, concentration, discipline, respect and more... 5. Why in the world would any state WANT to tax self defense and bully prevention training in this day and age! 6. Mandatory sales tax at up to 10.2% on tuition, testing, advanced training, private tutoring and more kills the educational model and harms families with multiple participants even more. SB 5997 is the bill that includes the remedies that we’ve fought long and hard to attain. The legislature passed it. We urge you to send a message to the Governor through his, e-message portal, or call the Governor’s office at 360-902-4111 and ask him to support all martial arts businesses in the state by retaining the exemption of martial arts from retail sales tax and makes the activity subject to service and other B&O tax. http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/send-gov-inslee-e-message