Press Release:
West Seattle resident Russ Brubaker, national tax policy advisor for the Washington State Department of Revenue, is the 2011 winner of a national award for leadership in tax administration.

he annual Wade Anderson Memorial Medal for Leadership was announced this week by the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA) and the Multistate Tax Commission (MTC).

The medal is awarded annually to the individual who best exemplifies a commitment to fairness, simplicity, and consistency in state tax administration through interstate cooperation.

Governor Chris Gregoire said she is pleased that national officials recognize the leadership that Brubaker has demonstrated on behalf of the state.

“Russ exemplifies the dedication and commitment among state employees who serve the public well and produce results,” Gregoire said.

Brubaker, previously senior assistant director of tax policy for the Department, has a quarter century of experience working with lawmakers, businesses and national tax policy leaders as an advocate for modernizing tax systems to be as fair and simple as possible in a complex and evolving business environment.

Brubaker currently represents the state as first vice president of the Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board and is scheduled to become its president in 2012. The Board represents a consortium of states working together to simplify tax systems to encourage online and mail order retailers to collect and remit sales tax.

He also has been instrumental in countering federal proposals that would have infringed on the state’s taxing authority. Early in his career with Revenue, Brubaker shepherded the state Taxpayer Rights and Responsibilities Act through the Legislature and implementation.

This is the second time in three years that a representative of the Department has received this honor, with Deputy Director Tremaine Smith receiving it in 2009.

The FTA and MTC are national associations of state revenue agencies. They have awarded the medal annually since 2004 in memory of Wade Anderson, a Texas tax administrator who died in 2003.