Senate considers 3/5 for taxes amendment

The Senate Ways & Means Committee held a public hearing yesterday on SJR 8215 (3/5 for taxes or voter approval). Prime sponsor Sen. Braun said he was trying to respond to some of the concerns raised against SJR 8211 (2/3 for taxes) when it was voted on earlier this year and offer a more focused approach while still acknowledging the voters' ongoing support for supermajority for taxes protection . . . READ MORE

New tax protection amendment proposed in Senate

Having failed to receive the votes needed to send voters SJR 8211 to implement the six time voter-approved supermajority for taxes requirement, a new proposal has been introduced in the Senate. This new proposal, though different from the policy previously approved by the voters repeatedly since 1993, is a smart compromise that provides the added protection against tax increases that the people have consistently demanded while providing the flexibility for the legislature to quickly respond to an emergency to protect life or public safety . . . READ MORE

No Valentine for voters; 2/3 for taxes fails

No one likes to go through a breakup but it stings even more when it happens around Valentine's Day. Despite voters sending lawmakers six separate love letters asking that their elected officials feel the love for the will of the people, some in the Senate today decided to continue to ignore the clear message from their constituents by not adopting SJR 8211: Amending the Constitution to require a two-thirds majority vote of the legislature to raise taxes. The vote failed 26-23 (needed at least 33 votes) . . . READ MORE

Graduated income tax amendment proposed

No legislative session would be complete without a proposed constitutional amendment to impose a graduated income tax in Washington. Today SJR 8214 was introduced to amend "the Constitution to allow an income tax." Judging from the response of voters since 1934 to income tax proposals, SJR 8214 may not get that far . . . READ MORE

State's public unions are right on supermajority protections

With the dust still clearing from yesterday's court ruling on I-1366 and Senate hearing on SJR 8211, it is a good time to reflect on examples from across the country when it comes to supermajority protections. In fact, a couple of good examples can be found in the constitutions of several of Washington's public employee unions . . . READ MORE

Court tosses I-1366; 65% of voters want legislature to still act

"Unconstitutional!" That's the word from King County Superior Court today on voter-approved I-1366. Does this mean the legislature has just been handed a "get out of jail" free card to punt on this issue? Well, that depends on how much respect lawmakers have for their constituents . . . READ MORE

Attorney General defends Initiative 1366

Today is the first day of the 2016 Legislative Session. One of the issues facing lawmakers is how to respond to the people's approval of Initiative 1366 last November. Opponents of the measure have filed a lawsuit asking the courts to declare the proposal unconstitutional. That case will be heard January 19 in King County Superior Court. Last Friday the Attorney General filed arguments defending Initiative 1366 . . . READ MORE

New Poll: Lawmakers should act on supermajority for taxes amendment

According to a new statewide poll, a supermajority of voters want lawmakers to act on a constitutional amendment requiring a supermajority for tax increases. The poll, commissioned by the Washington Policy Center, ran December 28-30 and was conducted by Elway Research, INC . . . READ MORE

69% of state's legislative districts approved I-1366

According to a breakdown by the Secretary of State's Office, voters in 69% of Washington's legislative districts (34 of 49) approved I-1366 (supermajority for taxes). This is significant since it takes support from lawmakers in at least 33 legislative districts to refer to voters a constitutional amendment. Assuming lawmakers reflect the preference of their constituents, there should be enough support to finally end the decades old debate about whether to require a supermajority vote to raise taxes with a constitutional amendment . . . READ MORE

Congress wraps sales tax Christmas present for Washingtonians

We now know why U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is growing a beard - he is getting in the spirit of Santa Claus for Washington state taxpayers. Last night Ryan announced that Congress had come to a deal on major tax legislation. Included in the agreement is an issue long on Washington state taxpayers' Christmas list - making permanent the deduction for state sales taxes . . . READ MORE

Supreme Court releases reason for allowing vote on I-1366

The State Supreme Court today released the legal reasoning behind its unanimous decision to allow the voters to consider I-1366. The voters approved I-1366 this month. On September 4, 2015, the Supreme Court issued a brief order unanimously allowing Initiative 1366 to appear on the 2015 general election ballot. Opponents had attempted to keep the proposal for voters claiming the policies proposed exceeded the scope of the initiative power . . . READ MORE

U.S. Supreme Court rejected challenge to state tax restriction

With approval of I-1366, is Washington (once again) on the path to becoming the 18th state in the country with a supermajority for taxes restriction? Currently 17 states have some form of tax increase restriction. Among them is Colorado which has the strictest one requiring voter approval of all tax increases at the state and local level . . . READ MORE

Are lawmakers ready to represent the people or will they continue to rule over them?

Based on the initial results for I-1366, voters want the opportunity to add to the 20 plus supermajority restrictions already in Washington's constitution. If the vote trend holds, I-1366 will represent the sixth time since 1993 voters will have approved the policy of a supermajority restriction for tax increases. The other times were in 1993, 1998, 2007, 2010, and 2012 . . . READ MORE

Transportation package (bonds) required supermajority vote

Despite receiving support from voters on five separate occasions, most recently passing statewide in every county, in 90% of legislative districts, and with 64% support in 2012, lawmakers have yet to provide voters the opportunity to place a supermajority vote restriction for taxes in the state constitution . . . READ MORE

Will state Supreme Court open floodgates for income taxes?

How important are five votes out of seven million Washingtonians? The vote of just five state Supreme Court Justices could be the difference between Washington maintaining its competitive advantage of not imposing state income taxes and the eight decade old dam of legal precedent preventing these types of taxes being torn down . . . READ MORE

What are the possible outcomes if Initiative 1366 is approved by voters?

Overshadowed by last week's shocking and controversial charter school decision by the Supreme Court is another important ruling by the court to allow the public to vote on Initiative 1366 ("Taxpayer Protection Act"). On September 4, 2015, the Supreme Court issued a brief order unanimously allowing Initiative 1366 to appear on the 2015 general election ballot . . . READ MORE

Take 2: Is Initiative 1366 a constitutional amendment?

Last month we posed this question: Is Initiative 1366 a constitutional amendment? The answer to this question will determine whether voters will have the opportunity to pass their own judgement on the policies proposed by the ballot measure. A week ago King County Superior Court Judge Lum ruled that I-1366 is a constitutional amendment that exceeds the power of initiative but refrained from keeping the proposal off the ballot saying . . . READ MORE

Should Washington follow New Jersey's response to Court K-12 sanctions? Fuhgeddaboudit

Yesterday the State Supreme Court in a 9-0 ruling took the unprecedented step of fining the state (i.e. taxpayers) for the Legislature's failure to adopt a detailed plan showing how lawmakers plan to meet certain K-12 funding goals by 2018. WPC agrees with the brief filed by Attorney General Bob Ferguson that the contempt sanctions should have been vacated after the historic investments in K-12 by the Legislature this year. Unfortunately the Court disagreed . . . READ MORE

WPC joins amicus defending people's right to enact fiscal restraints on lawmakers

Washington Policy Center (WPC) is a strong defender of the people's right of initiative as well as their power to enact fiscal restraints on lawmakers to help promote sustainable budgeting. This is why we are happy to sign on to the amicus brief in the case of Kerr v. Hickenlooper currently before the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals for reconsideration at the direction of the U.S Supreme Court . . . READ MORE

Is Initiative 1366 a constitutional amendment?

Initiative 1366, the "Taxpayer Protection Act," has qualified for the November ballot. Here is the official ballot title and summary for I-1366 . . . READ MORE