We’re not safe — legislature back in session today
On Friday, the state budget office confirmed the cost of the latest version of the transportation tax package: $1.2 billion in higher car tab taxes, $2.9 billion in higher gas taxes, and other higher taxes totalling $300 million. $4.4 billion total.
That $4.4 billion is ON TOP OF the most recent version of House Bill 2038 which costs $5.3 billion, the Telcomm tax bill Senate Bill 5911 totalling billions, the hospital bed tax Senate Bill 5913 totalling $1.2 billion, the Bracken decision House Bill 1920 totalling $518 million, and higher tolls and ferry fares totalling $87 million.
That’s well over $11 billion in tax hikes.
How stunningly out-of-touch can politicians be to be pushing massive tax hikes at a time when voters have clearly said “no more.” After all, just a few months ago the people overwhelmingly passed I-1185 and rejected tax increases on banks and oil companies. Inslee promised no tax increases exactly because he knew what voters were demanding.
It’s important to remember that every tax increase imposed in Olympia will automatically be on the November ballot as a tax advisory vote (thanks to I-1185’s renewal of this policy). That’s 12 individual votes just for HB 2038. That’s 48 pages in the voters pamphlet listing legislators tax votes on each one. There’d be an additional 3 votes on the transportation tax package, 1 vote for the telcomm tax bill, 1 vote for the hospital bed tax, 1 vote for the Bracken decision bill, etc. Imagine how big the actual ballot will have to be. Every voter will know how every legislator voted on every tax increase.
Our new initiative — LET THE VOTERS DECIDE ON A 2/3-FOR-TAXES CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT — gives taxpayers permanent protection. Without the 2/3, this year’s Legislature is proving why it is necessary. Our new initiative is, by far, the most powerful lobbying tool we have to fight back against Olympia’s insatiable appetite for higher taxes.