Investing in Equity by Taxing Extreme Wealth with Carolyn Brotherton, PhD
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
10:00AM - 11:30AM
Online: Free Zoom Registration Required
Investing in Equity by Taxing Extreme Wealth
Gender and Racial Equity in the Washington State Budget
Our speaker Carolyn Brotherton, PhD, Policy Associate from the Economic Opportunity Institute, believes that COVID has not only shone a bright light on existing inequalities in our state and country, but has also actively made them worse.
Metrics of economic security and inequality show us we are worse off than we were two years ago, with women, people of color, and poor people experiencing the largest negative impacts of the pandemic.
Any form of recovery must be fueled by substantial investment in communities and the public good, including core pillars of our economy and societal well-being such as childcare, healthcare, public schools, and climate resilience. These types of social investments will advance gender and racial equity but our state cannot make such investments by relying on the current out of date and regressive system of taxation. Taxing concentrated wealth, such as a state wealth tax on billionaires, is a key part of holistic tax reform and a pathway toward equitable recovery and a state where everyone can thrive.
Carolyn Brotherton holds a BS in Chemistry from Yale University and a PhD in Chemistry and Chemical Biology from Harvard University. Carolyn got into advocacy while helping to organize a union and negotiating a first contract for fellow postdoctoral researchers at the University of Washington. She interned with the Washington State Labor Council during the 2019 Legislative Session. Carolyn believes every billionaire is a policy failure.
In addition, our public policy team will give us details about the morning program on Lobby Day and the approved bills to lobby for. During the meeting, we’ll help you get connected to AAUW’s vital Action Network during a brief (musically accompanied!) sign-up session for the Two-Minute Activist.