According to the AP wire friday, and the Spokesman Review Wed or Thurs., Lawmakers in Olympia are set to propose a $50.00 per 20 foot TEU tax on all containers, loaded or empty, inbound or outbound, handled through any Washington Port in order to fund freight capacity enhancements. This would mean a $50 tax on a 20 foot container and a $100 tax on 40 foot containers. (of the $50 tax, $10 would go to port operators to offset costs associated with collecting the tax and $40 would go to state). Shipping companies immediatly responded that they would pull out of Washington ports and go elsewhere to California, Oregon or Vancouver, B.C. as no other ports anywhere have such a tax. As of today, however, lawmakers are set to go forward with the proposal saying shipping lines are just bluffing because they are not willing to pay their fair share, and superior service at Washington ports would make up the difference. No mention was made about if the tax was going to be applied to bulk goods like grain and clay.