Our fiercest advocates in Olympia for the citizens’ initiative process: Senators Roach & Benton

Our top priority must be and absolutely is raising the necessary funds and collecting the required number of signatures for The 2/3-For-Taxes Constitutional Amendment Initiative.  It’ll provide taxpayers with permanent protection from Olympia’s insatiable tax appetite.  We announced the kick-off for Initiative 1366 earlier this week.  Petitions are being printed and mailed out soon and we ask all of you to please donate to make this effort a reality.

         Early next week, we’re making a huge announcement about it:  STAY TUNED.

         Nonetheless, it’s important that you get an update on all those anti-initiative bills being pushed in Olympia.

         Your emails and phone calls are working.  Thanks to you, legislators now know they’ve kicked a hornet’s nest by attacking the initiative process.  The people are passionately about their rights and incensed that politicians are trying to take them away.  

         Yesterday, there was a hearing in Olympia on one of the worst anti-initiative bills.  SB 5375 requires people to get the government’s permission before being “allowed” by the government to collect voter signatures on initiatives.  It’s absurd.  

         During yesterday’s hearing, Senators Pam Roach (R-Auburn) and Don Benton (R-Vancouver) represented the fire, the fury, and the fight conveyed in your emails and phone calls.  They fought for you. 

          This despicable bill violates basic First Amendment rights and takes away the people’s constitutional guarantee to participate in their government. 

           Roach and Benton were there every step of the way.  They gave it their all.  Some complain that too many Republicans aren’t willing to fight for what we believe in.  Not these two.  Not yesterday.  They fought for the people’s rights.  

           When it came to “citizen” testimony, I was completely outnumbered.  I was the only one signed in to speak against the bill.  Everyone else, representing powerful special interests and anti-initiative organizations, was a cheerleader for the bill.  

           Sporting a dress shirt and tie, I spent my time studiously explaining the bill’s many flaws, too numerous to list here.  The legislation is unwelcome, unnecesary, and unconstitutional. 

         The anti-initiative folks droned on and on about stupid irrelevant crap that had nothing to do with the bill.  

         Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one fiercely defending the process.  

         Pam & Don were fantastic.  They were heroes.  They stood up for you yesterday. 

         I ask you to thank them today.  Send them an email.  Write something like this (feel free to add more — tell ’em how you feel):

         “Thank you for fighting so passionately for us yesterday.  Thank you for fighting against these awful legislative attacks and protecting our rights.  Please convince your colleagues to back off and leave the initiative process alone.”         

         Cut and paste into the “To” line of your email:

         pam.roach@leg.wa.gov; don.benton@leg.wa.gov; tim_eyman@comcast.net

         We are very lucky to have them in Olympia protecting the citizens’ initiative process.  

          We ask for your help – both financial support and signature collection – to ensure the success of this year’s critically important initiative.