Gregoire signs suspension of I-960 tax limits
The move gives lawmakers latitude to raise taxes without the required two-thirds legislative majority or a public vote.
And, to the disappointment of initiative author Tim Eyman of Mukilteo, the governor did not use her veto power to keep alive the measure's requirement for statewide advisory votes on new taxes the Legislature may approve in the coming weeks.
Eyman and Republican state senators pressed the governor to keep that provision in place to let voters know which lawmakers passed the tax and to give them a chance to voice their opinion.
In the end, she decided such votes would be costly to conduct and, because they are only advisory, give the public the wrong impression about how the results will be used.
“The public should expect when they say something, the Legislature and the governor will respond. To ask for an advisory vote and then to not follow it, I think would add to the cynicism of the people of this state,” she said.
Eyman stood at Gregoire's side as she spoke and gave a thumbs-down while posing in a picture with her.
“It's just extremely, extremely disappointing,” he said. “Voters voted for these policies because they don't trust their elected officials to do the right thing.”
Voters approved Initiative 960 in 2007 and, under the state's constitution, it could not be altered in the first two years after its enactment.
This is the first session it could be changed and it comes just as Democratic lawmakers and the governor are pushing to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars through new taxes to fill part of a $2.8 billion budget hole and preserve education, human services and health care programs.
They've been stymied by the initiative's two-thirds requirement for passage of tax increases.
Democrats outnumber Republicans but cannot attain the super-majority without votes from some in the GOP, which will not happen this year.
The new law, which took effect immediately, sets aside most of the measure's provisions until the next two-year budget cycle begins.
It keeps in place provisions for e-mail notifications of proposed tax increases and 10-year cost projections for each bill raising taxes or fees.
The House passed the suspension bill, 51-47, and the Senate gave it final approval, 26-21.
The legislation signed Wednesday was SB6130.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623, jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
Story tags »
• State • Taxes • Governor • LegislatureHow we got here
Q: What happened?
A: Gov. Chris Gregoire signed Senate Bill 6130 to suspend most provisions of Initiative 960.
Q: What is I-960?
A: It's an initiative that requires that new or higher taxes be approved by two-thirds of the Legislature or a simple majority of the people in a statewide vote. It also provides means for the public to know when a new tax or fee is proposed, how much these taxes or fees may cost taxpayers over 10 years and to participate in advisory votes on any new tax not sent to the voters for approval.
Q: Wasn't it approved by the voters?
A: Yes, it was passed in 2007 by 51.2 percent of the state's voters. In Snohomish County, it won support from 53.8 percent of voters.
Q: Then how could it be suspended?
A: State law bars the Legislature from amending any voter-approved initiative in its first two years. That period has lapsed for Initiative 960.
Q: How long will the suspension last?
A: Until July 2011.
Q: What does this mean?
A: Democrats can go forward with their plans to raise taxes to deal with the $2.8 billion budget deficit and preserve funding for programs. They have large enough majorities in the House and Senate to pass tax increases without any votes from Republicans.
Q: What does Tim Eyman think about this?
A: Eyman, who wrote I-960, is proposing Initiative 1053 this year that would restore the two-thirds requirement — before July 2011.
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