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Bob Bolerjack,
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Carol MacPherson,
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heraldnet.com


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Send letters to the editor by e-mail to letters@heraldnet.com, by fax to 425-339-3458 or mail to The Herald - Letters, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

 
WEEK IN REVIEW
Wednesday
Student hit in crosswalk to return
81 veterans' names, 81 meaningful lives honored...
USO singer's voice still charms them in Edmonds
Tuesday


Fire destroys Emory's restaurant
Peggy Pritchard Olson always put Edmonds first
Camano Island burglaries spike: Is Colton back?
Monday


Tree clearing, mud slide angers Everett neighbor
Later start for school day unlikely in Marysville
Hopes for Snohomish excursion train may hinge o...
Sunday


Glacier Peak freshman overcomes jitters to win ...
Gay marriage issue can wait, say Referendum 71 ...
Cities across south Snohomish County see tax re...
Saturday


Thousands honor slain Seattle police officer Ti...
Suspect identified in Seattle police killing
Mountlake Terrace thrilled by high school's fir...
Friday


Officer Timothy Brenton. Gone, but not forgotten
Person sought in officer's killing is shot in head
Thousands to pay respects to slain Seattle poli...
Thursday


Tale of 1916 Everett Massacre retold in style o...
Reservist survived Iraq but not his return to c...
Swine flu suspected in infant’s death
 

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Published: Wednesday, November 15, 2006

State voters give fairness, equity a big thumbs-up

Was that a blue tide that came across our state last week?

It might be interpreted as a partisan blowout, but that discounts the fact that the winners, the Democrats, could not have won without the votes of independent and Republican voters. So while the Democrats gained huge majorities in our state House and state Senate, they did so because of the votes of hundreds of thousands of Republicans and independents.

It might be more accurate to describe the last election as a watershed in which the voters rejected the politics of individual greed. They rejected the post-Iraq-invasion divisiveness fostered by Karl Rove and embraced the post-9/11 patriotism and solidarity that brought us all together after the devastation of that horrible day.

At the top of the ballot were two bellwether initiatives that provided a stark choice between individual greed and public good. Initiative 933 would have enabled a select few property owners to get paid off to abide by land-use regulations. The voters saw through that one, defeating I-933 by a decisive margin.

Then the voters considered Initiative 920. This initiative, if passed, would have defunded the education trust fund by repealing the estate tax, which is a tax on estates valued at more than $2 million. Only about 200 estates a year are affected, out of 45,000. The estate tax takes a small percentage of these multimillion-dollar estates and directs it into the education trust fund, which in turn funds K-12 education, especially class-size reduction, as well as scholarships in our community colleges and state universities and colleges.

The people didn't like this initiative. It was defeated with a "no" vote exceeding 61 percent. This was not a vote dominated by King County voters. Initiative 920 lost in 36 out of 39 counties. More than two out of three voters rejected Initiative 920 in Whitman County (Pullman), Grays Harbor County and Jefferson County (Port Townsend).

This was a stunning defeat, especially after Americans have been inundated with spin about the "death" tax for 30 years. Voters in our state saw through the spin and decided to keep the estate tax. They endorsed the leadership of Speaker Frank Chopp (D-Seattle), Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown (D-Spokane), House Appropriations Chair Helen Sommers (D-Seattle), House Finance Chair Jim McIntire (D- Seattle), Sen. Erik Poulsen (D-Seattle) and Gov. Chris Gregoire, who together designed and promoted this tax. The Legislature voted for this tax, and the people backed it up.

In fact, not one legislator who voted for this tax was defeated at the polls, while seven incumbents from all over the state who voted against this tax won't be going back to Olympia. Brad Benson (R-Spokane), Luke Esser (R-Bellevue), Dave Schmidt (R-Mill Creek), Jim Buck (R-Joyce), Toby Nixon (R-Kirkland), John Serben (R-Spokane) and Beverly Woods (R-Kingston) all lost their constituents' vote of confidence.

So let's be clear about this: The people voted to keep a tax that the Legislature put on the books. And why? Because this tax was a perfect example of funding the greater good through a tax on the already privileged wealthy. In a world in which the wealthy are getting more so, while middle-class families are furiously treading water just to keep even, the estate tax injects some small equity into the equation.

We have a lot more fairness, security and opportunity that needs to be promoted in our state, ranging from health coverage to pension coverage to education. That's going to take some new revenue. But in the halls of Olympia, you always hear Democrats worrying themselves about voting for taxes. This initiative should calm their fears.

The people know that you have to have taxes to fund public services, and that a tax on multimillion-dollar estates makes a lot more sense than a cut in education. It is a good model for future investments in our children. It has now been signed, sealed and delivered by the people.

So let's go down this road together for the greater good, for fairness and equity. After all is said and done, fairness and equity are at the heart of American values. That's what the voters said last week.

John Burbank, executive director of the Economic Opportunity Institute (www.eoionline.org), writes every other Wednesday. Write to him in care of the institute at 1900 Northlake Way, Suite 237, Seattle, WA 98103. His e-mail address is john@eoionline.org.

1. Emory’s owner fears fire was arson
2. Monroe honking case makes it to state Supreme Court
3. Vatican ponders the souls in space
4. 81 veterans' names, 81 meaningful lives honored in Snohomish
5. Hope dims that Olympics will boost region
6. Student hit in crosswalk to return
7. Smokey Point to celebrate end of roadwork
8. Death on Edmonds waterfront ruled a suicide
9. Help for young moms may continue
10. Semifinal slate sealed on ‘Dancing With Stars’
Enterprise Newspaper Snohomish County Business Journal
Bazaar Fever
Hawks proud of historic season
Olson always put Edmonds first
Honoring student veterans
‘Wheedle' author comes to Lynnwood bookshop
Mavs build early lead en route to easy win
Prep football games of the week (state playoffs)
Tears of laughter, tears of grief
Death on Edmonds beach likely a suicide
The Enterprise Online Newspaper


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