The Impact on Washington’s Budget of Allowing Same-Sex Couples to Marry Introduction to the report by M.V. Lee Badgett, PhD by Demian © June 17, 2006, Demian One of the complaints made by those wishing to stop legal marriage, is that it will cost too much, in terms of benefits and the like. This argument supposes that finances are more critical than allowing all citizens to be treated equally and have access to a most critical civil right. This report shows the likely financial scenario that the state would likely make enormous financial gains, once allowing legal marriage. The Report’s Key Findings Allowing same-sex couples to marry in Washington will boost the state budget by $3.9 million to $5.7 million annually. Approximately 7,950 of Washington’s same-sex couples will marry in the short term. State expenditures on means-tested public benefits programs will fall. State retail sales tax revenues will rise. Any impact on estate tax revenue will be negligible. Administrative cost increases will be minimal. No increases in court system expenditures are likely to result. Same-sex marriage will have no impact on property tax revenue. The state will experience a minor decrease in real estate excise tax revenue. The state will incur a slight increase in costs for state employee retirement benefits. This June 2006 report is in PDF format:         The Impact on Washington’s Budget of Allowing Same-Sex Couples to Marry    The study is authored by:         M.V. Lee Badgett, PhD             The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy             Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst         R. Bradley Sears, Esq.             The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy             UCLA School of Law         Elizabeth Kukura             The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy             UCLA School of Law         Holning S. Lau, Esq.             The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy             UCLA School of Law The Sweet Corn Shop    Products that affirm self-esteem and social equality.    A smart variety of Bumper Stickers and Buttons    for political impact, plus Mugs and Teddy Bears.    Purchases help support Partners’ efforts.